Due to the nationwide lockdown, restaurants across the country have been forced to shut their dining spaces. However, many kitchens are still delivering food through delivery applications like Swiggy and Zomato. The restaurant industry is trying to stay afloat by getting the meals provided. It is also an appealing option for those of us who are home and are sick of our cooking. Recently, the news of a pizza delivery boy who tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Delhi made us wonder how safe it is to order food from outside. Here are the precautions you should take.

Is it Safe to Get Food Delivered at Home?

While it is highly unlikely, there is always a chance that someone at the restaurant sneezed and touched the box without washing their hands. But ordering takeout food is an easy way to support the economy while fulfilling your biryani craving. You need to be extra cautious with the handling of the food. COVID-19 Pandemic: Food Safety Tips to Handle Groceries to Prevent Exposure to Coronavirus.

How to Pick Your Order Safely?

If you are going to the society gate to pick your order, make sure that you are wearing a mask, avoid touching your face and wash your hands as soon as you get home. You can also ask the delivery person to leave the food outside the door or at the compound gate to minimise human contact for both the parties. Paying the bill online can be a more viable option at this time. Coronavirus Outbreak: Can COVID-19 Spread Through Food? Take These Precautionary Measures While Eating Out and Preparing Meals at Home.

How to Unpack your Food Safely?

Coronavirus spreads through respiratory droplets and as of now, there is no evidence that the novel coronavirus can spread through food. However, the virus may stick around in hard surfaces like plastic and cardboard, making the packaging of the food an at-risk material.

The best thing is to leave the food packaging outside your house and transfer the food into a bowl or a container right away. Try and not set the packaging or box on your dining table or your countertop. Coronavirus Pandemic May Trigger Worldwide Food Crisis: UN, WTO.

Be sure to dispose of the packaging in a covered dustbin in your compound. Never leave the packaging out in the open as the act can potentially increase the chances of contamination of other surfaces and thus, people.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 22, 2020 11:44 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).