China Warns That Their Parcels Might Contain the Coronavirus As People Mass Buy on 11.11

Today (11 Nov) is Singles’ Day, the day we all buy things we don’t need to make us feel better about the significant other that we don’t have.

Reader: I am self-partnered, like Emma Watson

I’m sure it’s voluntary, dear reader.

With more online stores than bubble tea chains in Singapore, customers aren’t exactly lacking in options when making their purchases.

But some residents in China may now hesitate before clicking that button to check out the 85 items in their shopping cart.

China Warns That Their Parcels Might Contain the Coronavirus As People Mass Buy on 11.11

That’s right, the Chinese authorities have warned online shoppers that their parcels may potentially have traces of the coronavirus.

The warning comes after three workers at Haohui Ecommerce Co, a company in Hebei province that makes children’s clothing, tested positive for COVID-19.

As such, parcel-delivery services in nearby cities have had their operations suspended.

The authorities are now urging their residents to get tested and monitor their health if they have received parcels from the affected companies.

The good news is that of the 300 packages that have been tested so far, none have come back positive. No positive COVID-19 tests have been linked to the parcels either, as of yet.

Nevertheless, they warned their residents that packages from overseas or high-risk domestic places should be sanitised.

Can You Catch COVID-19 From Surfaces?

The problem with determining if we can catch COIVD-19 through fomite (surface) transmission it’s that it’s often hard to distinguish from transmission from respiratory droplets.

As the World Health Organisation explained, “People who come into contact with potentially infectious surfaces often also have close contact with the infectious person, making the distinction between a respiratory droplet and fomite transmission difficult to discern.”

It added, however, that fomite transmission has been found to be a viable mode of transmission, based on the evidence we have.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a slightly different take, saying that fomite transmission is not the main route by which COVID-19 spreads and that the risk is considered low.

In fact, the general consensus is that the risk of getting COVID-19 from packaging or even food products is small.

However, if you feel safer wiping down your packages with disinfectant and washing your hands afterwards, you can certainly do that too.

Just don’t rub disinfectant all over your chicken and vegetables, though. Cooking it will suffice.

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Featured Image: Lukassek / Shutterstock.com