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When you go grocery shopping during coronavirus outbreak, be smart

Health experts give helpful dos and don’ts tips

MEMPHIS, Tennessee —

Recently, many of you have likely gone to the grocery store to pick up essential items. The second you hit the parking lot, health experts say you should have a plan to remain healthy and safe.

Clinical dietician with Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, Nichole Reed encourages shoppers to leave your children and other family members at home. Reed also says the second you leave your car, thoroughly clean your cart with a hand sanitizing wipe and pay close attention to what you’re doing with your hands the entire time you’re in the store.

While it is ideal to limit your trips to the grocery stores, grocers across the nation are beefing up safety measures during the Coronavirus outbreak.

You’ll see signs outside of national chains like Walmart, encouraging the 6 feet apart CDC guideline.  Stores like Kroger now have sneeze guards and blue boxes by the checkout lanes that shoppers have to stay in to remain 6 feet apart.

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“Don’t pick anything up if you don’t need it, don’t pick it up. I know a lot of us especially in the produce section want to pick it up, look at it things like that, but if you can don’t touch anything you’re not going to take home with you,” Reed explained.

Reed suggests shoppers not use their cell phone for shopping lists, write things down.

“Everything you want to do now needs to be on paper so you can throw that away because if you touch something In The store and touch your phone. Your phone is going to go home with you so you don’t want to keep adding to those germs” Reed said.

Across the Mid-South, we found shoppers wearing gloves and masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to keep themselves safe.

“You can get your gloves dirty and still touch your face so sometimes people wear gloves and they feel like they are invincible but the thing is to remember you need to be clean with gloves on and gloves off,” Reed said.

And if you have the self checkout option, use it, to limit the amount of people handling your groceries.

“Wash your hands the second you get home then put your groceries up. The CDC right now is not asking anyone to wipe down their groceries but I’ve been doing it for certain things like cans and plastic containers,” Reed said.

For more advice on how to shop smart, click here.

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