(ORDO NEWS) — There is currently no conclusive evidence that any food or diet can strengthen the immune system and prevent or treat COVID-19. There are several nutrients (copper, folate, iron, selenium, zinc, and vitamins A, B6, B12, C, and D) that play important roles in our immune system. It is generally recommended that you eat a healthy, balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables that allows you to get these nutrients from food. In addition to eating a healthy diet, being physically active, reducing stress, and getting enough sleep also help maintain normal immune function.
There are currently no known supplements that “strengthen” our immune system against COVID-19.
Can you get COVID -19 from food?
The European Food Safety Authority said there is currently no evidence that COVID-19 is transmitted through food. Although it is unlikely that the virus will be transmitted through contaminated food, the following guidelines should be followed to reduce the risk of foodborne illness:
- Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds before and after preparing or eating food.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or sleeve when you cough or sneeze, and remember to wash your hands after
- Wash fruits and vegetables before eating them.
- Disinfect surfaces and objects before and after use
- Store raw and cooked foods separately to avoid spreading harmful germs from raw foods to ready-to-eat foods.
- Use a variety of utensils and cutting boards for raw and cooked foods to prevent cross-contamination.
- Be sure to cook and reheat food at a suitable temperature (72 C for 2 minutes).
Can you get COVID -19 from touching food packaging?
The main mode of transmission of the COVID-19 virus from person to person is contact with droplets that form when an infected person sneezes or coughs. The virus can exist on food cartons for a day, and on plastic for several days. Therefore, there is a negligible risk of infection from touching a surface or object contaminated with the virus and then touching your mouth, nose or eyes. This includes food packaging.
However, the risk of contracting COVID -19 from touching contaminated food packaging is very low and this form of transmission has not been reported.
In shops, the greatest risk of infection is from contact with other people and surfaces that people touch. These can be scales, shopping cart handles, or elevator buttons, although many stores take steps to disinfect these surfaces. Therefore, we should still wash our hands after returning home from the store, as well as after working with freshly purchased food packaging.
By observing these hygiene measures, there is no need to disinfect the packaging itself. As long as all food companies are aware and complying with the health and safety training they were given, the transmission of the virus through food should be a difficult job.
To minimize the risk of infection, we must take the following measures when buying and preparing food:
- Wash hands before and after purchasing food, unpacking food, and after receiving delivered food.
- Maintain a safe distance (the minimum recommended distance varies from 1 to 2 meters) from other
people when shopping.
- Avoid shopping if you are sick, if possible, order groceries online or ask a family or friend to deliver them.
- Do not touch products if you are not going to buy them.
- Try to limit trips to the supermarket by planning meals and shopping outside of regular hours. Use self-checkout counters and pay by electronic means as often as possible.
- Do not touch your face, nose and mouth before washing your hands.
- If you want to be extra careful, check out some Food hygiene courses
Can COVID -19 Spread Through Drinking Water?
No COVID-19 virus has been detected in drinking water. Although the virus can remain active in water for some time, drinking water is safe. Tap water undergoes several treatment methods, such as filtration and disinfection, that inactivate the COVID-19 virus. Bottled water is also strictly regulated to ensure that it is safe for consumption.
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