The dangers posed by food delivery do seem to be minimal. A spokesperson for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told TIME on March 27 that “[currently] there is no evidence to support transmission of COVID-19 associated with food or food packaging.”
That said, the same precautions you would take for a package delivered to your home should be applied with food deliveries. John Swartzberg, a clinical professor emeritus of infectious diseases and vaccinology at the University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health, recommends first bringing the container inside, washing your hands, wiping the container down with soap and water or a disinfectant, washing your hands again and only then then putting the contents of the the container onto your plate. Also, don’t make the precautions you take a danger by themselves: Make sure to avoid getting cleaning chemicals on anything you eat. He also stressed you should make sure to stay at least 6 feet away from the delivery person, and recommends having them set the food down at the door and leave before you come out and get your delivery.
For more on food delivery and shopping:
- ‘Is Ordering Takeout Unethical?’ A Medical Ethicist Answers
- How Can You Safely Grocery Shop in the Time of Coronavirus?