Ordering takeout during a pandemic: Is it safe?

As many of us have run out of ideas for what to cook for dinner, or are getting those greasy, fast-food cravings, we may be tempted to order takeout but are hesitant in the face of potential coronavirus contamination. So the question remains: Is it safe to order food via takeout or delivery?

For the person ordering, it seems like the consensus is yes, it is safe to order takeout using contactless delivery. Unlike some germs, there’s no indication the coronavirus can spread through food, according to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“This is a respiratory virus, not a foodborne virus … you can’t catch it from eating food,” said Michelle Danyluk at the University of Florida, which published tips on food safety amid the pandemic.

The biggest concern remains person-to-person contact and from the packaging. Contactless delivery, in which the order is left outside the recipient’s door, reduces that risk. The risk from packaging is “likely very low,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). But to be safe, Danyluk advises washing your hands before and after touching food or packaging. You should also discard any packaging and transfer the food to a clean container from your kitchen, washing the surfaces and any spot the package touched diligently.

But for those preparing and delivering the food, the risks remain a bit higher. For takeout, the FDA urges restaurant workers and customers to stay at least 6 feet (2 meters) from others as the potential of human-to-human contact transmitting the coronavirus remains high.

Although restaurants are handling the pandemic in different ways, the American National Restaurant Association urges all restaurants to “follow strict local public health guidelines” to reduce the chances of employees being infected by the virus and spreading it in the workplace.

So if you want that greasy double cheeseburger with a side of fries – based on the evidence – it should be safe to do so as long as you take all the precautions and keep all surfaces and your hands clean.

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