Recently, some people have the question about the prevention against the epidemic outbreak, “Can the novel coronavirus survive on the vegetables, meats and fruits in supermarkets which are often touched by customers?” In this regard, the reporter interviewed Dr. Sun, director of the Department of Infectious Diseases of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Science and Technology, who had answered some questions the citizens concerned about.

Q: Can the virus survive on the vegetables, meats and fruits in supermarkets?

A: In theory, there is a certain possibility that the novel coronavirus will attach to vegetables, meats, and fruits, but it will not survive for a long time and will lose its activity with high temperature cooking.

Q: What should shoppers pay attention to when shopping?

A: It is best not to hold the products directly with your hand when shopping, you can put the shopping bag over your hands to grab them to avoid direct contact.

The supermarkets are suggested not to place sold meats and cooked food in the open air, but take certain isolation measures, such as covering with cloth or placing them in glass cabinets to prevent droplets from falling on them.

When going out to buy goods, citizens should buy as many as possible to reduce the frequency of going to the supermarket.

Q: Is it better to leave some meats or vegetables for a while before eating?

A: For some meats and vegetables, they may spoil and grow bacteria if left for a long time, which are not good for health.

The scientific method is to wash them with running water before eating. Do not eat raw foods. Eat the foods after cooked and the fruits after peeled. Salad is not recommended to eat.

Q: Is it advisable to order vegetables and fruits online to reduce the frequency of going out?

A: If the ingredients purchased online are delivered directly from the origin places, which reduces the intermediate links such as delivering to the supermarkets, putting on the shelves, and customers’ selection, there will be less possibilities of infection. In this way, it is recommended to shop online.