Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

The rules of safe shopping under coronavirus: five tips for social distancing

Buying essential supplies can be tricky during the coronavirus lockdown. Here’s how to navigate the new rules

With lockdown conditions imposed in many countries to try to prevent the spread of coronavirus, everyday activities such as shopping are going to be different from usual for some time.

Here are some tips on how to practise physical distancing while purchasing essential food and medical supplies.


1. Stay 2 metres away from other customers and staff

Keep clear of people on the way to and from the shops, and when inside them as well, if possible. Be patient and take your turn to access goods in fridges and freezers. Some supermarkets are helping to do this by limiting the number of people who can be inside a shop at any given time. When purchasing your shopping, try to keep your distance from shop workers as well. With self-service checkouts and pin pads, you may have no choice but to come into contact with surfaces that have been handled by many people. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth until you have washed your hands. Some stores are providing hand sanitiser, and cleaning shopping trolleys and baskets between customers.


2. Shop alone, not in groups

Clearly there will be exceptions: for example, single parents with small children who cannot be left at home, but where possible you should try to shop alone. That will reduce the number of people inside stores, making physical distancing easier to achieve. It also reduces the number of people in your household exposed to the outdoors. Remember: studies show that, on average, people can have coronavirus for five days before they develop any symptoms, and all that time they can be unwittingly spreading it.


3. Only buy the essential things you need

It is natural that people worried about potentially being stuck indoors self-isolating for 14 days want to stock up on supplies. However, panic-buying means there can be shortages of food and medical products for people who rely on them. And there are reports of increased food waste as people have stockpiled perishable goods that they could not possibly have consumed in time. If everybody buys only what they need, there will be enough for all.


4. Respect shopping hours for healthcare workers and the vulnerable

Many shops including supermarkets are setting aside certain hours of the week specifically for shopping to be carried out by key workers, the elderly, and those with underlying health conditions that mean they are trying to shield themselves from exposure to the virus. Clearly, it is difficult to enforce this, but be considerate when you choose to visit the shops to avoid coming into contact with these groups.


5. Use delivery services where possible

The fewer people on the streets and in shops, the less chance there is for people to pass on coronavirus. If you can get delivery services, this will reduce the amount of times you have to leave the house. This will help slow, and ease, the peak of infections in the population that politicians and scientists worry will overwhelm health services.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
Intel Reports Revenue Beats but Sees 81% Rise in Losses
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
Tulsi Gabbard Unveils Evidence Alleging Political Manipulation of Intelligence During Trump Administration
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Trump Announces Coca-Cola to Shift to Cane Sugar in U.S. Production
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
Moonshot AI Unveils Kimi K2: A New Open-Source AI Model
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
×