Many people seem to be freaked out by the idea of coming into contact with meals that have been handled by others who could possibly have COVID-19.
If you are scared of ordering takeout in fear of catching the coronavirus, there is good news — you won’t get the virus from food. Even if a person handling your food has COVID-19 and were to sneeze or coughs directly onto your food, it is likely you will not get the virus. It is more likely to catch COVID-19 by touching a surface/object that has the virus on it, then touching your face, particularly your mouth, nose, or eyes.
The CDC posted that currently, there is no evidence to support the transmission of COVID-19 through food, but of course, reminded people that they should wash their hands with soap and water for 20 seconds before preparing and before eating food.
In a publication; Serious Eats, J. Kenji López-Alt Ben Chapman askes North Carolina State University food safety specialist, the same question; If a food worker were to cough while a person’s food, how could that person not pick up the virus from eating the food prepared by the sick worker?, Chapman responded: “Even if a worker sneezes directly into a bowl of raw salad greens before packing it in a takeout container for you to take home, as gross as it is, it’s unlikely to get you sick.”
Dr. Eric Cioe-Pena, the director of global health for Northwell Health and an emergency physician, told Business Insider: “The transmission is through the respiratory epithelium in your nose, mouth, and eyes. It’s unlikely to be transmitted in the food, more likely on hands while holding food packaging,” To date, there are no reported cases of a person catching the coronavirus from food.
To date, there are no reported cases of a person catching the coronavirus from food. Jaimie Meyer, MD, a Yale Medicine infectious disease specialist also backed up this statement in Business Insider.
Meyer said the primary mode of transmission of the virus from person to person is through direct inhalation of droplets. Meaning being within 6 feet from someone when they cough or sneeze, then breathing it in.