Whether it's over the top or not, I think that if you shop (and if you
can) - leave the new shopping in quarantine and used old stuff first.
The replace old stuff with new stuff days later.
@steveTu - basic hygiene. Take the standard hygiene precautions but don't send yourself crazy about worrying about germs on everything. Paranoia and hysteria don't help anyone.
Just back from our local SM - loo roll and kitchen roll shelves empty. Woman in front of us at checkout had 8 packs of kitchen roll and the same of loo roll! I know we have a few confirmed cases locally but that is utter madness.
But you're washing your hands because the assumption is that the virus may be on everything aren't you? If you don't assume that, then you don't need to wash your hands anyway. And if you assume that the virus is on any 'foreign' object, then it is potentially on anything you bring into your house. Highly unlikely at this stage with the limited outbreak, but as (if) the virus spreads, it will be one of the ways it spreads.
It's neither paranoia nor hysteria - it's why you are being told to wash your hands - but you need to think.
Steve, washing your hands with soap after using public transport, coming home from work, before preparing food, after the toilet is sensible anyway. It helps avoids bugs like ecoli and stomach upsets. It's good general practice in life.
I'm not sure I ever said it wasn't (in fact I think I said the opposite - ie we should be handwashing normally anyway even without coronavirus). But you're doing that (ie handwashing) on the assumption that 'someone' with the (a) virus (or bacteria) may have touched the same thing as you - ie the hang strap on the tube, or the pole on the bus. Or you may have touched a coin or note....or...
The point is that the same applies to that tin of beans on the SM shelf - BUT - the tin of beans enters your house with you and you may then touch it more than once. So just think.
The point of hand washing etc is that the person picking/delivering your shopping should be doing the same. If everyone keeps up a standard of hygiene then it will limit the spread. If we all start saying 'what if...' and not bothering then it will spread like wildfire. Sadly it will only take a few manky people to mess it up for eveyone else.
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
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