7 Things Dr. Fauci Does When He Shops for Groceries
Dr. Fauci is the pillar of proper COVID-19 protocols. As the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, he's been the leading expert on the disease and has been constantly updating the public with new warnings and information about the virus.
The Washington Post interviewed Dr. Fauci along with five other health specialists to see how they deal with coronavirus risks in their everyday lives. With different guidance being thrown around seemingly every day, we were particularly interested to read how the pandemic pundit currently goes about grocery shopping safely. While he follows many of the precautions you should take before grocery shopping, apparently there are actually a few non-essential ones he skips over.
This is Dr. Fauci's exact COVID-19 shopping protocol—directly from the man himself. Follow his advice and make sure your current routine doesn't involve any of the 7 Ways You're Grocery Shopping Wrong During COVID-19.
He physically distances
"I do physically go to the grocery store, but I wear a mask and keep my distance." We all know the drill: social distancing by keeping six feet apart can help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Keeping distance before entering the store and during check-out is important, but it's also the case when you're walking down the aisles. Speaking of aisles, grocery stores are considering making changes to their layout due to coronavirus. You can Expect This Major Change to Your Grocery Store Aisles in the coming years.
He wears a mask
As mentioned in his quote above, Fauci makes sure to wear a mask when he's grocery shopping as well as whenever it's necessary. "[Wearing a mask] dominates everything I do. The only time I don't wear one is when I am alone, when I am home with my wife, or when I am speaking in public — provided there is 6 feet between me and the people to whom I am speaking," Fauci told The Washington Post.
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He goes at odd times
"I usually go at odd times. I spend half the day alone in my office, and I'm part-time at the White House. In the late afternoon or evening, when I'm finished with the White House, I go shopping for groceries, or to drugstores." While Fauci may only go grocery shopping at odd times because that's what his schedule allows, it's also important because there will be fewer people shopping around you. This will decrease the probability of you running into someone who has the virus.
He doesn't bother disinfecting bags
"I don't disinfect the bags," says Fauci. It's not just to save time. The CDC warned that disinfecting food with bleach could actually poison you. If you follow his tips below, you'll see why he doesn't find it necessary to disinfect the grocery bags.
He makes sure to wash his hands
Once he gets home, Fauci goes to his kitchen and starts unpacking. "In general, I will take the materials out of the bags, then wash my hands with soap and water." It has been consistent advice from experts: make sure you wash your hands for at least 20 seconds to protect yourself from the virus—and don't commit any of the 20 Hand-Washing Mistakes That Help Coronavirus Spread.
He uses purell
After washing his hands with soap and water, Dr. Fauci tells The Washington Post that and "then use[s] Purell." It may seem redundant, but who are we to question Fauci's routine?
He lets everything sit for a day
After disinfecting his hands, and unpacking, Fauci "let[s] everything sit for a day." Even though the CDC updated its guidelines to list that "touching surfaces or objects" is an unlikely way of contracting the virus, Fauci may still be concerned that there could be secondary contamination via objects and surfaces. The reason Fauci waits this long is that research has shown that the virus has remained infectious for up to 24 hours on cardboard. So, to be on the safe side, Fauci practices a bit of self-control and forgoes cooking up that steak the day he brings it home. To make sure your food will stay good until you can eat it, make sure you employ these 30 Simple Tricks to Make Your Produce Last Longer.
