Covid-19: What are the chances of catching coronavirus from food packaging?

Traces of coronavirus were recently found in packages of a chicken batch in China, exported by Brazil, the world's largest producer.
According to the prefecture of the Chinese city of Shenzhen, the virus was detected in a routine control and the lot belonged to the refrigerator Aurora, Santa Catarina.
In a statement released, the Ministry of Agriculture said it had requested explanations from the General Administration of China Customs (GACC) and added that "according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), there is no scientific evidence of transmission of the Covid-19 virus from food or frozen food packaging."
The episode again raised questions about whether coronavirus can be transmitted through food packaging.
In theory, it may be possible to be infected by covid-19 from packaging.
Studies conducted from laboratory experiments have shown that the virus can survive for hours, if not days, in some packaging materials —mostly cardboard and various forms of plastic.
In addition, the virus is more stable at lower temperatures, which is the way in which many foods are transported.
However, some scientists questioned whether these results could be replicated outside the laboratory.
Julian Tang, associate professor of Respiratory Sciences at the University of Leicester in the UK, says that in the outside world, environmental conditions change rapidly, meaning the virus cannot survive for so long.
And Emanuel Goldman, professor of microbiology at Rutgers University in the United States, also pointed out that laboratory studies used samples of up to 10 million viral particles, while the number of viral particles on a surface hit by a sneeze is less than 100, for example.
In an article published in the scientific journal The Lancet in July, Goldman said, "In my opinion, the chance of transmission through inanimate surfaces is very small and only in cases where an infected person coughs or sneezes on the surface and another person touches that surface right after coughing and sneezing (within one to two hours). "
How can the virus be transmitted?
The risk of transmission is usually based on the assumption that contaminated workers from factories where food is packaged may have passed the virus to packaging surfaces after touching eyes, nose or mouth.
But scientists find this transmission route rather unlikely.
"It may be possible for a person to contract covid-19 by touching a surface or object that contains the virus," the United States health agency, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), said on its website. However, the agency adds that "this is not considered the main form of spread of the virus."
In fact, experts are increasingly sure that coronavirus spreads directly from person to person in the following ways:
- Among people who are in close contact with each other (within 2m (6ft))
- Through droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes or speaks
- When drops fall into the mouth or nose of people nearby (or are instilled by the lungs)
Tang says proving that someone caught the virus through the packaging would also be difficult.
He said it would be necessary to "exclude any recent exposure from any other source" —including asymptomatic social contacts (those who have the virus but have no symptoms) -- to make sure that exposure related to food packaging was the real cause of the infection.
How to stay safe?
The World Health Organization (WHO) states that "there is currently no confirmed case of covid-19 transmitted by food or food packaging." But it lists a number of precautions we can take to avoid cross-contamination.
It also says that there is no need to disinfect food packaging, but "hands should be thoroughly washed after handling food packaging and before eating."
WHO also recommends using hand sanitist before entering the store if possible, as well as washing your hands thoroughly when returning home and also after handling and storing purchased products.
Home delivery should not be a cause for concern as long as the delivery man follows good personal hygiene and food practices. It is important to wash your hands after receiving food deliveries. Some experts also recommend the use of plastic bags only once.