8 ms·

Do we know yet what the probability of packaging borne transmission is? Has anyone seen anything? I saw one study describing virus lifetime on various surfaces

Do we know yet what the probability of packaging borne transmission is? Has anyone seen anything? I saw one study describing virus lifetime on various surfaces but I don't think they tested cardboard. Also I don't know what they're expecting. They either have mountains of stock or they'll be laying these people back off soon when factories close. I think supplies out of China are still disrupted.

gregschlom 7y ago
NPR talked about a study testing cardboard actually. Up to 24h under ideal conditions. https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/03/14/811609026/the-new-coronavirus-can-live-on-surfaces-for-2-3-days-heres-how-to-clean-them https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/03/14/8116090... Link to study: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.09.20033217v1.full.pdf https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.09.20033217v...
- allovernow 7y ago
  That's actually really good news, thank you. You can just leave packages outside for a day or two.
  - stevenwoo 7y ago
    Paranoid thought - what if it's on plastic or exposed steel on something inside the package (like the wrapping on a box or an ladle that doesn't come fully enclosed in a box), you need to wait three days or so.
    - allovernow 7y ago
      I have an old Windex spray bottle that ive filled with rubbing alcohol and I've been blasting everything with extreme paranoia. Honestly statistically speaking in most areas out chances of coming into contact with the virus are still quite low. There's 300MM+ people here and even if 1MM are infected, those are good odds.
      - robocat 7y ago
        > those are good odds You are presuming that you are meeting people at random - however you are most likely to meet people with a high number of social interactions, and they are far more likely to catch the virus. Depending on the social graph, your chances vary, but the chance will clearly be far worse than a crude estimate.
        allovernow 7y ago
        I don't meet anyone going staying home and going to the store once a week in a mask. That's what we'll all be doing soon. Well, those who are willing to comply.
  - turbostyler 7y ago
    Where do you live that you can leave packages outside for more than an hour?
    - Mountain_Skies 7y ago
      My neighborhood has eight houses per acre. We've had no problems with stolen packages even when left out overnight. This is the exurban fringe of metro Atlanta.
      - learc83 7y ago
        You're on the exurban fringe and you're at .125 acre lots?
        Mountain_Skies 7y ago
        Surprisingly yes. There are also townhouse and apartment complexes. Most homes are on bigger lots but I was surprised by the diversity of housing choices out here.
    - allovernow 7y ago
      Suburbs?
- dave5104 7y ago
  Same day shipping not sounding so great now!
claudeganon 7y ago
It’s still awaiting peer review, but initial research suggest 24 hours of stability on cardboard, 2-3 days on plastic and metals: https://www.wired.com/story/how-long-does-the-coronavirus-last-on-surfaces/ https://www.wired.com/story/how-long-does-the-coronavirus-la... https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.09.20033217v2.full.pdf https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.09.20033217v...
- the-pigeon 7y ago
  Out of an abundance of caution I've just been leaving packages in my garage for a week before opening them. If you have the space and can order stuff a week before you need it, I suggest this.
  - mrmuagi 7y ago
    A great suggestion, I do this also. It helps to cleanup packaging in one fell swoop as well.
  - WalterBright 7y ago
    Sunlight (UV exposure) helps kill bugs. If you're not worried about porch pirates, I'd leave the packages in the sun. Perhaps turn them over now and then.
  - divbzero 7y ago
    Same. Definitely an abundance of caution but if you have the space it can’t hurt.
  - mark_l_watson 7y ago
    Almost the same here, leaving them in garage for two days. It feels weird how the new normal, protocols to avoid infection, are starting to seem like the same old routine now. Wonder how it will feel after a few months, or more.
- op00to 7y ago
  I'm curious to see if packages and deliveries were seen as transmission vectors in any other infectious epidemics. If packages were a reliable transmission vector, you'd expect to see much higher infection rate of truckers, postal workers, shop clerks, etc. I haven't found evidence of this.
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
anonuser123456 7y ago
I'd be much more concerned about the possibility of transmission from packaging / food items bought at your local supermarket.

gregschlom 7y ago

NPR talked about a study testing cardboard actually. Up to 24h under ideal conditions. https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/03/14/811609026/the-new-coronavirus-can-live-on-surfaces-for-2-3-days-heres-how-to-clean-them https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/03/14/8116090... Link to study: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.09.20033217v1.full.pdf https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.09.20033217v...

allovernow 7y ago
That's actually really good news, thank you. You can just leave packages outside for a day or two.
- stevenwoo 7y ago
  Paranoid thought - what if it's on plastic or exposed steel on something inside the package (like the wrapping on a box or an ladle that doesn't come fully enclosed in a box), you need to wait three days or so.
  - allovernow 7y ago
    I have an old Windex spray bottle that ive filled with rubbing alcohol and I've been blasting everything with extreme paranoia. Honestly statistically speaking in most areas out chances of coming into contact with the virus are still quite low. There's 300MM+ people here and even if 1MM are infected, those are good odds.
    - robocat 7y ago
      > those are good odds You are presuming that you are meeting people at random - however you are most likely to meet people with a high number of social interactions, and they are far more likely to catch the virus. Depending on the social graph, your chances vary, but the chance will clearly be far worse than a crude estimate.
      - allovernow 7y ago
        I don't meet anyone going staying home and going to the store once a week in a mask. That's what we'll all be doing soon. Well, those who are willing to comply.
- turbostyler 7y ago
  Where do you live that you can leave packages outside for more than an hour?
  - Mountain_Skies 7y ago
    My neighborhood has eight houses per acre. We've had no problems with stolen packages even when left out overnight. This is the exurban fringe of metro Atlanta.
    - learc83 7y ago
      You're on the exurban fringe and you're at .125 acre lots?
      - Mountain_Skies 7y ago
        Surprisingly yes. There are also townhouse and apartment complexes. Most homes are on bigger lots but I was surprised by the diversity of housing choices out here.
  - allovernow 7y ago
    Suburbs?
dave5104 7y ago
Same day shipping not sounding so great now!

claudeganon 7y ago

It’s still awaiting peer review, but initial research suggest 24 hours of stability on cardboard, 2-3 days on plastic and metals: https://www.wired.com/story/how-long-does-the-coronavirus-last-on-surfaces/ https://www.wired.com/story/how-long-does-the-coronavirus-la... https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.09.20033217v2.full.pdf https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.09.20033217v...

the-pigeon 7y ago
Out of an abundance of caution I've just been leaving packages in my garage for a week before opening them. If you have the space and can order stuff a week before you need it, I suggest this.
- mrmuagi 7y ago
  A great suggestion, I do this also. It helps to cleanup packaging in one fell swoop as well.
- WalterBright 7y ago
  Sunlight (UV exposure) helps kill bugs. If you're not worried about porch pirates, I'd leave the packages in the sun. Perhaps turn them over now and then.
- divbzero 7y ago
  Same. Definitely an abundance of caution but if you have the space it can’t hurt.
- mark_l_watson 7y ago
  Almost the same here, leaving them in garage for two days. It feels weird how the new normal, protocols to avoid infection, are starting to seem like the same old routine now. Wonder how it will feel after a few months, or more.
op00to 7y ago
I'm curious to see if packages and deliveries were seen as transmission vectors in any other infectious epidemics. If packages were a reliable transmission vector, you'd expect to see much higher infection rate of truckers, postal workers, shop clerks, etc. I haven't found evidence of this.

deleted 7y ago

[deleted]

anonuser123456 7y ago

I'd be much more concerned about the possibility of transmission from packaging / food items bought at your local supermarket.