Can You Get COVID 19 Through Food?
Research By WHOAs the corona virus continues to spread, so does the worry everyone is feeling as this once-localized outbreak transforms into a global pandemic. The number of confirmed cases in the U.S. keeps rising, and unfortunately, so does the death count.
"Breaking developments in the corona virus pandemic: The death toll rising in the U.S., more than 60 dead. The number of cases topping 3,000."
Supermarkets are running out of all manner of pantry staples including bread and even oat milk. The one thing not flying off the shelves is the unfortunately-named Corona beer, but this is entirely due to the name association, as Corona beer will definitely not make you sick with its namesake virus.
Corona beer isn't the only food or beverage item which poses zero risk of spreading this dreaded virus. A spokesperson from the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service addressed this issue with HuffPost. They stated:
"We are not aware of any reports at this time of human illnesses that suggest COVID-19 can be transmitted by food or food packaging."
The German government's Federal Institute for Risk Assessment issued a similar statement regarding the transmission of corona virus. According to the organization:
"There are currently no cases which have shown any evidence of humans being infected...via the consumption of contaminated food..."
They went on to admit that corona virus could possibly be spread through contact with a recently-contaminated surface, perhaps a plate or table, but that this would be, quote, "only likely to occur during a short period after contamination, due to the relatively low stability of corona viruses in the environment.
While there has been evidence that animals can be infected with COVID-19, and the CDC confirms it's possible to transmit the disease from animal to human, this doesn't apply to the meat we eat, thankfully. There just isn't any risk to us from the animal products we purchase and consume, and even if an animal was infected prior to being turned into your favorite cut of meat, there are ways to prepare your food safely to mitigate any risk.
If you wish to consume meat but are concerned by the fact that animals can also be infected by COVID-19, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland offers the reassuring information that thorough cooking should kill the virus. 30 minutes at 140º Fahrenheit proved effective with SARS, and it's expected that this should have a similar effect on the corona virus.
While there may not be known cases to date of anyone who has caught or spread corona virus through contaminated food, there are still certain food-related venues where it would be wise to take precautions. HuffPost suggests that while you're out at the grocery store stocking up your pantry, you should try to keep a few feet of distance between you and other shoppers, a practice known as social distancing, and you might also want to take advantage of any wipes or hand sanitizer the store may have on hand as a convenience to shoppers. Just…don't get, you know, weird about it.
Can you get corona virus through food?
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