The city of Austin and Travis County and many other cities have issued new shelter-in-place orders that extend through May 8. These orders will go into effect following the expiration of the area’s current stay home orders at 11:59 p.m. on April 13. Here are some tips for safe grocery shopping during quarantine.

If you are ordering your groceries..

Ask your delivery driver to leave the groceries outside your door. It’s possible that either you or your delivery driver is a carrier of the COVID-19 virus so it’s best to keep distance. Some delivery services have sections where you can specify how you would like your groceries to be dropped off, so tell the delivery people to leave them outside your door on the doorstep. 

If you are planning on going to the store..

Try to go when it’s not crowded. Since the virus is mainly transmitted through close contact with other individuals, avoid large groups of people. Don’t forget to cover your mouth and nose. The CDC advised that people wear face coverings such as bandanas, a balaclavas, scarfs, or face masks. Bring sanitizing wipes with you so you can clean any shopping carts or baskets you use. Use hand sanitizer after going through the checkout. 

How to handle your groceries once you get them..

You should disinfect all containers. Such as cans, bottles, and jars glass, metal, or plastic. Wipe your containers with this sanitizer and let it sit for one minute on the surface until you dry it off. After you’ve put away all of your groceries, disinfect all of the surfaces that your bags have touched to be safe.