Getting deliveries while stuck at home? Here’s how to handle packages amid coronavirus

Can your Amazon box give you coronavirus? Experts say it’s not likely, but there are steps you can take to protect yourself.

As the coronavirus continues to spread, more people are ordering online. Some people worry that the packages that arrive could be contaminated, and they could be bringing the virus into their homes.

Experts, however, say that’s not likely. Coronavirus can live on some surfaces for up to three days, but it can only stay on cardboard for about a day, McClatchy News reported. On plastic, it can live up to 72 hours.

There have been no COVID-19 cases linked to contact with packages, Today reported.

Typically, the coronavirus spreads mainly through contact with an infected person, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. If an infected person sneezes or coughs near you, respiratory droplets can land in the other person’s nose, mouth or be inhaled into the lungs, according to the CDC.

It is possible, however, to get it by touching a surface.

“It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads,” the CDC said.

Several Amazon warehouses have been hit with coronavirus cases, with at least 11 facilities reporting positive cases, according to CNN.

Jay Carney, Amazon’s senior vice president of global corporate affairs, told CNN what people should do to handle their packages amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“We are learning as we go, like everyone,” Carney said, according to Inc. “We’re consulting with medical experts to get the best information we can... There is that evidence that the virus can live on packaging for some period of time.”

Limit face-to-face interaction

When you order a package, you can leave special delivery instructions to leave packages at the door or in a locker.

If the mail carrier is ill, they could pass the virus to you, according to Health.

Since the virus is mostly spread through person-to-person interaction, asking the carrier to leave the package on a doorstep or outside should limit the amount of exposure.

Wipe packages down

Most packages come with the product packaging and the shipping container. The best thing to do is remove the product from the shipping package, like the cardboard box, and throw the box away immediately, according to Inc.

After that, wipe the package down with a disinfectant wipe. It’s likely the package has been in the box for long enough to kill the coronavirus.

Leave the package outside

If you’re still worried about packages, you can leave them outside for a period of time. Carney told CNN to put them “in a remote location for a period of time,” according to Inc.

It’s likely that by the time the package has gotten to you, however, any possibility of coronavirus living on the surface is already gone since it only lives on cardboard for 24 hours.

Wash your hands, don’t touch your face

The typical coronavirus advice of washing your hands and not touching your face still applies.

If you are handling a package, it’s a good idea to wash your hands afterward. You also should avoid touching your face until you can wash your hands.

The CDC recommends washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water aren’t readily available, use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

This story was originally published March 26, 2020 at 7:31 PM with the headline "Getting deliveries while stuck at home? Here’s how to handle packages amid coronavirus."