The Silver Lining of COVID-19 On Food Safety
As are entering the fourth and final quarter of 2020, we can look back at the major global disruption that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought. Despite of it all, the pandemic has some silver lining when it comes to healthcare, cleanliness and the food processing industry.
Fast forward in the months after the height of the pandemic, people have been increasingly more aware now at the best practices when it comes health protocols, social decorum such as social distancing, more aware at the heightened needs for cleaning and decontamination and are observing higher standards on food safety and preparation. The aforementioned are the silver lining left behind by the COVID-19 pandemic.
On food safety, consumers and businesses are observing higher standards on food preparation packaging, manufacturing and storage. The result is an average decrease of 50% of stomach flu and even 70 to 80% decrease with toddlers according to the publications of the Dutch general practitioners association.
On social distancing, people of all walks of life have practiced it as a habit and a precaution. This has not been done since the outbreak of the 1918–1920 influenza. You can see it on public areas where people are staying away from crowding, giving each other leeway and on queues, there are noticeable distance from one another, such as in the grocery store or a shop.
On hand hygiene, the public and healthcare hand hygiene information campaign as an effort by the World Health Organization (WHO) and governments across the globe in cutting the spread of the infection, people are washing their hands more frequently and in more potent conditions: using hand soap instead of just plain running water, the length and methods of hand washing and the use of hand sanitizer afterwards. This also helped cut down on the diseases associated from bacterial infection from dirty hands.
Self-Isolation and Self-Quarantine methods were also encouraged by WHO and governments. The result are people staying at home on instance where they experience mild symptoms that are attributed to the coronavirus. This self-isolation and knowing the emergency medical phone lines to call when symptoms progress are saving lives while not risking further contamination of others. Government efforts such as contact tracing on individuals that were otherwise exposed to both asymptomatic and symptom showing individuals were also contacted and given 14–21 days isolation or medical treatment.
As we look ahead at the coming 2021, we pray that a potent vaccine is developed and deployed to help recovering and reduce fatalities. The lessons learned from the coronavirus will be it’s legacy as the world is looking to be more prepared on the advent of future pandemics that may emerge in the future.