CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — Department of Health (DOH) Central Luzon appealed to the public to avoid crowded grocery stores when buying necessities during holidays.
DOH Region 3 Nutritionist Dietitian IV Margarita Natividad emphasized that exposure to large crowds increases the risk of being infected with the coronavirus disease.
“The more people we meet, the higher the risk or the percentage of the presence of the virus. We should not let the holidays be an excuse to not take care of ourselves especially that the pandemic is just around the corner,” she said during the regional launching of the “Tuloy ang Paskong Pinoy” campaign.
In addition, DOH advised market-goers to do a detailed list of things to buy and practice safe shopping by making it a solo-trip.
“When you have to go to the store, you have to create an organized list. This will not only save you time, but also reduce the risk of exposure to the coronavirus. Also, do not bring children or other family members with you. This will also reduce exposure,” she stated.
The agency also reiterated the observance of standard health protocols such as wearing of face masks and face shields, regular disinfecting of hands, physical distancing from other shoppers, and washing hands before and after putting away the groceries at home.
Moreover, Natividad reminded the people to be mindful when buying food online with the increasing number of online shops amid the pandemic.
“We advise ordering food online, but buyers should make sure that the food is prepared at home. However, online foods are more costly so if you do not have much resources, you could settle with buying at local markets near you,” she explained.
DOH appealed to the buyers to buy from local farmers to ensure the safety of food.
Fresh produce is safe to eat and will not rot fast, while imported goods have a probability of being contaminated as the goods travelled for so long. –Jag Lyra D. Costamero