As Shanghai grapples with the COVID-19 outbreak, community-based group-buying has offered a way to cope with the needs of purchasing groceries and necessities among the residents. Here's a guide to receiving and sterilizing the purchases, released by Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention (SCDC).

Contactless delivery

1. Avoid a face-to-face encounter with the courier at the gate of the community.

2. Wear a mask and gloves when receiving the goods.

3. The number of recipients should be controlled to avoid gatherings.

Sterilizing packages

1. Wear a mask and a pair of gloves.

2. Disinfect the surfaces of the packages with disinfectant spray or wipes.

3. Wait 10-30 minutes for the disinfectant to kick in.

4. Remove the packaging and dispose of it in a trash can outside, instead of bringing it indoors.

5. Take off gloves and mask after getting home and wash hands.

Selecting disinfectants

It is recommended to use 250-500mg/L chlorine-containing disinfectant, 100-250mg/L chlorine dioxide disinfectant or 1%-3% hydrogen peroxide for sterilization. Note that it is not recommended to use alcohol spray for disinfection to avoid accidents such as fire. Masks and gloves are required when applying the chemical disinfectants.

Ventilation and sun exposure can be alternatives to reduce contamination if there aren't any disinfectants.

There's no need to spray disinfectants on the surfaces of vegetables, fruits or frozen foods. For rice, noodles, grains and cooking oil, it's recommended to sterilize the outer packaging and store them in a ventilated place if they're not consumed immediately.