With stay-at-home orders active across the United States, people are expected to minimize interaction with others as much as possible. But for essential trips such as grocery shopping, picking up food and visiting the doctor, there are ways to take precautionary measures.
In order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, the CDC has released several steps to take when making these trips.
When grocery shopping, the CDC recommends:
- Stay home if you have any symptoms of COVID-19
- Order online or use curbside pickup, if possible
- Protect yourself while shopping by using a face cover and standing 6 feet away from other shoppers and in check-out lines
- Use hand sanitizer when you leave the store, and wash your hands when you get home
During the coronavirus pandemic, you still have to go out and get food from your local grocery store, but how can you do so safely? NBC 5's Patrick Fazio has the story.
When accepting food delivery and picking up takeout orders, the CDC recommends:
- Pay online or over the phone, if possible
- Ask deliveries to be left in a safe spot outside your house or apartment
- Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer after accepting deliveries or collecting mail
When dealing with money, the CDC recommends:
- Utilize online banking as much as possible
- Use drive-through ATMs, if available
- After handling money, wash your hands or use hand sanitizer
When getting gas, the CDC recommends:
- Wear gloves or use wipes on handles and buttons before touching them
- After fueling, use hand sanitizer and wash your hands when you get home
When going to the doctor or pharmacy, the CDC recommends:
- Talk to your doctor online or by the phone
- If you must go in person, remember to
- Use a face covering
- Do not touch your eyes or mouth
- Use disinfecting wipes on frequently touched surfaces
- Stand 6 feet away from other patients
- Use touchless payment methods, if possible
- Order prescriptions and set a time to pick up
- Use drive through windows and curbside pickup, if available
- Get larger supplies of medicine so you will not have to revisit as frequently, if possible
