On Reducing the Spread of COVID-19

We must balance supporting each other with containing the spread of the virus while doing mutual aid work during a global pandemic. There is a lot to learn about COVID-19, and things change frequently. Consult the local health department as a starting point and for up to date information about best practices: Tompkins County Health Department.

As a baseline, always wear a face covering and gloves when distributing materials in your neighborhood. Sanitize items you are distributing. Be diligent. If you touch your face by accident, don’t touch distribution materials until you have sanitized your gloved hands. Safe distribution will take extra time, and it will save lives.

When Going Shopping

  • Tie back your hair, wear a hat if possible.

  • Use clean, sanitized containers for transporting your purchases.

  • If using a car, disinfect your car’s door handles and seats if they are leather or plastic; if they are covered in cloth, place a clean barrier (like a trash bag) on top that you can put groceries on.

  • Wash your hands thoroughly with hot water and soap for 20 seconds before leaving your home. 

  • Wear a face mask or other face covering (a bandanna!) when you enter a store.

  • Sanitize any basket or shopping cart handles with wipes provided by the store. If the store does not provide them, bring your own.

  • When shopping, do not touch anything unless you are going to buy it.

  • Wipe down all goods with sanitizer or decontamination solution before storing them or distributing to neighbors. Communicate clearly to your neighbors what your practice is for sanitizing anything you distribute.

When Walking Your Neighborhood

  • Keep 6 or more feet between yourself and other people and pets. We do not enter neighbors homes, shake their hands, or hand them items directly.

  • Do not touch commonly used surfaces on peoples’ homes (ie: doorknobs or doorbells or mailboxes). Use a gloved hand, your elbow, or lightly tap the door with your foot in. You can also hold a sanitized item in your hand (like a marker) and use it to knock on the door or ring the bell. 

  • Change gloves or sanitize gloved hands after contacting surfaces, your face, etc.

  • Leave materials at the door, and let the neighbor know by knocking or by phone. Step quickly away from the door after placing an item in case your neighbor opens the door- stay 6 feet apart.

  • Do not hand items directly to neighbors.

  • If offering supplies, they should be in the original package, unopened. Wipe down the packaging with sanitizer if it is hard or smooth, like plastic or metal. Do not wipe down cardboard.

When Returning Home

  • Use a glove or sanitizer wipe to open your door. Once inside, remove the glove. Remove clothing and shoes and put in a laundry bin before moving through the rest of your home. Wash your hands immediately.

  • If you do not have gloves or wipes, wash your hands immediately after closing the door and coming inside. Contact MAT or the neighborhood stewards network to access glove or other PPE.

  • Using gloves if you have them, wipe down any items you brought inside with sanitizer. If they can’t be wiped down, clean them as best you can. If you can’t clean them, try to keep them outdoors and avoid touching them for at least 3 days. This leaves some time for any virus on the items to die.

  • After sanitizing new items, remove your gloves before touching other things in your home, and wash your hands again.

See below from the United States Postal Service:

Importantly, the CDC (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html), the World Health Organization (https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses), as well as the Surgeon General have indicated that there is currently no evidence that COVID-19 is being spread through the mail.

Specifically, according to the World Health Organization, “the likelihood of an infected person contaminating commercial goods is low and the risk of catching the virus that causes COVID-19 from a package that has been moved, traveled, and been exposed to different conditions and temperature is also low.”