It’s difficult to stay at home during a pandemic. You end up looking at the same four walls over and over again. Your imagination can only create a certain number of meal combinations with the available food, although the internet can assist with new recipes.
Of course, you need to eat, which means cooking at home, ordering food, or eating out. It’s unlikely you’re already self-sufficient. Unfortunately, every one of these scenarios means that another human has been in contact with your food.
Considering you are working with everyone else to prevent the spread of CVID-19, you have to question which is the safest and morally correct method, can you justifiably order food to be delivered?
An Issue Of Infection
The problem is that it’s virtually impossible to know how your food has been handled before you receive it. This goes for all methods of food provision. Ideally, everyone is following protocols, masks and gloves are the norms, allowing you to purchase in relative safety.
But, it only takes one inattentive person to spread the infection. You can just as easily pick it up from the supermarket packaging as you can from the delivery person.
Viewed this way there is no ethical problem with getting food delivered. It is as safe, or as dangerous, as any other method.
The Moral Approach
In fact, you can say that by using food delivery services you are doing the morally correct thing. In the first instance, you’ll need to clarify that the food delivery service is using a reputable supplier like this café supplies. This means they have disposal serving items and appropriate precautions have been taken en route to you.
The risk of infection can be minimized easily by having a set procedure. The delivery person drops the food off, you’ve already paid over the phone or the internet. There is no need for a person to person contact.
Of course, they’ve touched the delivery bag and food cartons. You simply need to place the bag in a designated spot and empty your food delivery onto waiting plates. The two never touch and you can dispose of the packaging before washing your hands.
The coronavirus is not known to live in or on food, provided you’ve followed the above steps you’ve minimized the chances of the virus being spread to you. Remember to disinfect the spot where you placed the delivery bag.
Solving Your Pandemic Food Dilemma: Don’t Be Afraid to Order
Ordering food is definitely simpler than buying groceries where you handle many different items, have to touch your car to load it, your keys, your bag, and a multitude of other items. It’s easier than cleaning every grocery item before it enters your home and disposing of your shopping bags every time.
It’s also safer than eating out where the food may not carry the virus but the plates, cutlery, staff, other guests, and the washrooms could. Eating out carries a high level of risk.
In contrast, having food delivered can be easily controlled to minimize the contact you have indirectly with others, making it the safest and morally best choice.
But, that’s not all! The fact that you’re supporting local businesses by ordering food can also be said to be morally right. You’re helping to keep people employed and the economy going.
