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VIDEO: 6 Tips For Staying Safe While Grocery Shopping

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Grocery shopping is on a lot of Americans' minds these days. In a country largely still under lockdown, stocking up on provisions is one of the few times many people leave their homes.

But many people are wondering how they can stay safe while in the store during the coronavirus pandemic — and how best to handle their groceries once they get them home. That's why we asked infectious disease, virology and food safety experts for their advice about safe grocery shopping. You can read our in-depth article with their tips or get a quick summary from our video above.

The bottom line: Your biggest risk comes from being in the store with other shoppers, not from the food. You really don't need to drive yourself nuts disinfecting your packaged food.

And please, don't use disinfectants on your produce. In fact, it could be dangerous. This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that a woman ended up in the emergency room after disinfecting her groceries in a solution of bleach, vinegar and hot water. The combination created a "noxious smell" that resulted in difficulty breathing.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Maria Godoy is a senior science and health editor and correspondent with NPR News. Her reporting can be heard across NPR's news shows and podcasts. She is also one of the hosts of NPR's Life Kit.
Nick Michael is the Acting Supervising Editor for Video at NPR. He joined NPR in 2014 as the lead video producer for Jazz Night in America, NPR's first program with companion radio and video content. Jazz Night's 2017 portfolio earned a Peabody nomination and a Webby Award for Online Film & Video. Since then, he has co-managed the growth of NPR's award-winning video team, highlights of which include co-crafting the look of NPR's signature interviews with President Obama, leading NPR's experimentation with 360 video and audio and coordinating 22 filmmakers across the country to document 2017's solar eclipse. Before NPR, Michael co-founded 1504, a creative video studio now based in Birmingham, Ala. He earned a masters in photojournalism at the Missouri School of Journalism.