Everyone is free to take their own precautions but cooking or microwaving my mail is not one I'll be following! I am much more concerned about social distancing and self isolation and far less about surface contact. And be careful about interpreting what you read. It was established early on that the virus is primarily transmitted by airborne respiratory droplets and person-to person contact. That is not at all the same as random viral organisms flying around in the air infecting everything they touch!! And it is not believed that surface contact has any significant input on disease transmission.

How the virus would get onto my carpeting when I am the only one that lives here is a bit mystifying also........but again, not something I am going to be overly concerned about.

I also believe that the living in fear to the point of immobilization can be extremely detrimental as well, especially to those who are already alone and shut in.

It would be awesome if the government used this as an opportunity to ban junk mail. Bills and correspondence only. :)

At the risk of sounding like a money laundering expert, I advise against washing money in the washing machine. The $100 bills come apart at the blue line. They must be glued together.

Baking is a good idea. My wife is a librarian at an elementary school. I have to pass this on to her. She was wondering what to do with the books when school starts up again after spring break.

I am living in the hope that my mail carrier does not have the virus.

"---I also believe that the living in fear to the point of immobilization can be extremely detrimental as well,---"

Totally agree. That's why I do what I do. So I can be very free of fear.

re: Money, credit cards, etc:

When I go outside, I never reach into my pockets or wallet. I keep a lot of empty large envelops. Depending on where I will be going, I know which credit cards I may be using and how much money I will need. I put them inside the envelop plus the car keys. The envelop will be what I will be using. When I come home, credit cards keys and money go under my UV light and the envelop into the trash. My clothing (with clean pockets) also go under the UV light, as well as outside shoes.

All purchases will be sanitized by the UV light, including the dirty floor and door knob.

Then I wash my hands. The UV light turns itself off by the countdown timer switch.

Re: Why 200F in the oven for incoming mail? (gas oven, not microwave). 140F to 160F is the food safe zone. I add 40F more to be safer.

Today's shopping being UV treated.

dcarch

If you're baking books, just make sure not to set your oven at 451 degrees Farenheit.

I believe Dr. Fauci. Some people are carrying their fear to an extreme.

I handle my mail as I did during the anthrax scare. I burn all the paper when I am through with it and wash my hands well. IMO that is enough.

I worry more about the shared air that we all breathe.

Thanks for the tip, @happy2b…gw. I would have never thought about money coming apart. I guess I better use the gentle cycle with no spin. 🤪 Truth be told, I never have cash. I used the last little bit I had to tip the guy who brought my groceries to the car.

As to mail, ours could sit forever, I think. All of the bills are on automatic pay.

@dchall_san_antonio, surely by the time school starts up again any germs on the books would have died, don’t you think?

I'm right there with ya, chipotle!! To me, UV'ing, baking or cooking and sanitizing every possible surface has taken fear to an extreme. Cautionary measure are reasonable and we have been provided with normal - not fear-based - steps to avoid the risk of possible contamination or infection. But nowhere does any medical authority suggest, recommend or even advise that following such radical measures as outlined above will have any benefit at all.

But if it makes you happy, go for it!!

...It depends on so many factors, temperature, humidity, surface texture, lighting condition, etc....

I agree we know so little about this one. It traveled so fast. Obviously some disbelief and carelessness by a large part of the population.

Heat will work. I use foil baking pans to sterilize my potting up soil. 190-200ºF. I would put a lid on top...foil, or a second foil pan. I won't be doing my mail in the oven. We have a pump sprayer with bleach at both doors, a spritzer of alcohol, and box of Clorox wipes. A folding table outside the garage entrance. Everything gets sprayed. Nothing comes inside. Mostly junk and that goes in the trash. Isopropyl Alcohol evaporates quickly if something is a bit delicate. Dried in the sun and in a box under the table. (quarantined). Anything important we will open outside and take a cell phone pick. No need so far. Clorox wipe to retrieve from the mailbox. Maybe something important without any plastic I would consider the oven.

Not expecting packages except for two food deliveries. The few deliveries we've had were sprayed, the boxes and contents. All opened outside.

Really takes no time at all. Do what makes you feel comfortable. We are not at all panicked or fearful. Just doing our part to protect the family and community.

My brother has all the symptoms after returning from a ski trip. No tests available. He is in Idaho. Quarantined at home. No tests available is a huge problem.

I am not actually fretting about the mail but I will point out that for each of us what constitutes sensible is not going to be the same. If you are healthy and younger you probably wont have any serious problems if you get it but if you are older and compromised in some way and you would normally be more careful during flu season your mileage would vary. since no one knows how serious this particular pandemic will be care might not be a bad thing while we learn the parameters of the threat. Finding out you really should have been cautious while you cough up a lung is too little too late.

I'm using Apple Pay whenever possible. I don't want to touch those credit card screens or stylus.

It would be awesome if the government used this as an opportunity to ban junk mail.

Junk mail is what keeps the post office afloat.

Chessie

My goodness. Open your mail, throw out the junk, and go wash your hands!!

What should one do if you have lots of mail? what should one do if the mail is many pages?

The problem is COVID-19 virus can be air borne if you open the infected mail.

dcarch

"The problem is COVID-19 virus can be air borne if you open the infected mail."

Oh dear lord. Is the mail going to sneeze on you? Come on. You gotta be smarter than that.

Any mail inside an envelope is bound to be long past infectious. It is the outside that is cause for concern. Now since I know how your mail is dealt with-it is mechanically sorted to you, packed into tray and delivered to you by a person. That person is the weak link so only the outside should concern you. Deal with the outside and the mail box itself.

Even the outside of the mail should be okay, and if you're worried, leave it alone for 24 hrs.

I've heard a lot of the officials' press conferences, especially the head of the county health department. Also seen some WHO info. None of it says that this is airborne and today this specific thing was countered by one. There aren't hovering clouds of contagion, which is what airborne is. The issue is droplets which are fine enough to go through cloth including non-filter old style surgical masks. They come from exhalation as well as coughing and sneezing. That's the point of the six foot rule. While they're very fine, the droplets fall to the ground via gravity, If you're not right near, they'll be on the bottom of your shoes as you walk through, but not in the air. I don't know how long a virus can live while walked on and if the friction would be enough to kill it. They keep retesting the airborne theory, but while I've heard a lot of looking again, so far no proof. From tracking interviews, they know that the early cases which have more obvious origins have come from close contact.

Viruses can live on surfaces. That's why they warn about packages, etc. As was posted up topic, this needs some moisture and texture to hang on and live, but it dies pretty fast even so. The recommendation for cardboard delivery boxes is to wait a day to handle. It's possible that mail is the same, also being paper, though mostly not as open textured. It's not going to get in the air from it. Don't rub it on your face.

I am not sure we know everything there is to know about this new virus. I have not seen information about how temperature, humidity, and other environmental factors can effect the survival statistic of this new organism. Are there more than one kind of COVID-19?

Given the fact that we know COVID-19 is extremely infectious, but not absolutely sure how it transmits from one person to another. Given the fact that we are facing international lock down, and possible millions will soon be victims, given the fact that COVID-19 can be deadly and death is not reversible, I feel one minute of my time to bake unknown items, and two seconds to turn on an UV light are not unreasonable time investments.

Many scientific studies have shown coughing and sneezing can propel droplets significantly further than previously believe. Also quantities of airborne particles were way underestimated.

Also I have seen reports of covid-19 can survive from 3 to 9 days.

As I said, I am not an expert, I am only sharing my crazy way of doing things.

dcarch

I don't have a problem with doing these simple things just in case. Why not?

Dcarch, I didn't mean you shouldn't cook your mail. Just trying to put things in perspective. Cooking, waiting, etc., are smart practices, especially when you have to interact with people outside your home. They have tested how long the first version lives on various surfaces, but you're right, I think I heard there were a couple different mutations, and new ones will crop up all the time.

The the cough and sneeze, those distances are for people just horking it out. The whole in the elbow or down the shirt thing isn't perfect, but it should limit distance. Packages don't cough.

plllog,

I came up with the idea of baking mail after seeing a report that a few postal workers got infected.

I did a little research on how long covid-19 can survive outside of human body, I was able to find only information about covid-19 survive rate on flat surfaces, nothing about on clothing, nothing about in between sheets of paper.

Just saw these

dcarch

I guess this means Lysol isn't going to work!

They've said that only a concentration of alcohol over 60% will work. I don't know what's in Lysol.

Dcarch, I have no issues with your UV light and baked mail. It is almost certain that the postal workers got the virus from human contact/connection. The question being, therefore, could someone contagious transfer to your mail, and then to you. From everything I've come to understand, it's not likely that it would survive long enough to do so. Considering how badly they want to slow the spread, it stands to reason that they'd intervene if mail delivery were considered an important vector. But what if you're the exception? Bake away!

Some here had me so paranoid today that I retrieved my mail with tongs, opened a package/envelope from Macy's using tongs and scissors and didn't bring others in the house yet.

Here's a good piece from CNN experts on where to exercise caution. Microwaving your mail goes a bit too far for me. None of my mail is that important that it needs to be opened within 24 hours.

CNN

Here's the letter that was published earlier this week in the New England Journal of Medecine with the results of early testing on SARS COV-2 (COVID-19). It is not all conditions and not all materials, but you can see the measured differences. Plastic is the worse, btw. LINK

FWIW, I have 91% & 70% isopropyl alcohol in spray bottles and just spray stuff down with that when in doubt, then let it air dry, or wipe off with a tissue or paper towel.

You could also just wear disposable gloves to receive and open your mail.

And don't forget your keys and eyeglasses...

Although I think it’s unlikely that one would be infected by mail or packaging, here are some things we do (a lot of mail can be tossed, but for items to be kept):

— I tried using a steam iron to blast (not iron) hot steam onto mail, bills, magazines and newspaper (local rag subscription). It works, but I don’t want to keep leaning over, sitting on floor, and it’s not worth the effort.

— we now let fresh mail etc rest in garage or enclosed porch. UV light and fresh air will make any virus particles inactive (should there be any).

— Packages — either set outside in sun or on on porch for a day.

I Have gone out once about 5 weeks ago to a very sparsely populated store. Got a few items, left the bleach and TP for others as we’d seen this exponentially growing lethal virus coming by early January (international news), and stocked up on a few things like dried beans, frozen veg, coffee. But, when we shopped, we paid by cr card and wiped that with 70% alcohol before wallet. Kept washing hands.

— You can pay exact change (plan ahead w low denominations and coins, or leave change as “keep it” or put in pet charity (checkout person will). But if you have change, you can easily wash it in a small plastic paint pail with a bit of soap and water or even a drop of bleach.

— you can steam iron blast bills $ or leave in sunlight, hang outside.

I can’t get inspired to put common objects into my food oven. Just me ;-)

PS — To clean credit cards after swiping, you can just keep an alcohol or purell damped paper towel in a small zip lock bag (keep handy, atop purse or in a “clean only” pocket. Just wipe your cr card before returning to wallet or purse.

ETA

PPS — if you use those inexpensive nitrile gloves, pop them into a designated “soiled” zip bag. (At home later) These can be easily swish washed in soap water with a few drops of bleach. Your hands will get washed and rinsed at the same time. Rinse, hange to drip dry by the fingertip/s. Caveat: don’t leave long in bleach water, the glove material will disintegrate.

I leave my mail on my enclosed back porch for at least two days, packages might be a week , then I wipe down the articles or spray them. Except for some shoes I ordered, I let them set a few days longer before trying them on.

No, You Don't Need To Disinfect Your Groceries. But Here's How To Shop Safely.

Many people worry about the possibility of picking up the coronavirus from things like grocery store conveyor belts or cereal boxes. But every expert NPR spoke with agrees that the biggest risk when it comes to groceries is being inside the store itself with other people who may be infected.

"marylmi

I leave my mail on my enclosed back porch for at least two days, packages might be a week ,----"

I have read that covid-19 were found 17 days later after the cruise ship was vacated. As far as I know they are many situations covit-19 survival has not been investigated, for instance, how long the virus can survive in between papers, dark places, wet surfaces ----etc.

"---But every expert NPR spoke with agrees that the biggest risk when it comes to groceries is being inside the store itself with other people who may be infected."

Key word is "biggest risk". To me it is telling me that there are plenty of other risks, they are smaller risks. I wonder how many of those almost 2,000,000 people who got sick from smaller risks.

dcarch

Do you sanitize your mailbox or mailslot for the mail carrier?

We bring ours in, sort it and then wash our hands and the counter.

I am here to tell you that $10 and $20 do very well in the washer and dryer.
People are grocery shopping for me....I have them leave non refrigerated items inside the gas grill ... for a few days, and I bring the refrigerated stuff in and wipe down with clorox cleaner. I even wash fruits vegetables and greens in a clorox solution.

More news today:

"---Research published in the federal agency’s Emerging Infectious Diseases journal shows the contagion spreading far further than previous official suggestions — and also getting spread on people’s shoes.

“The aerosol distribution characteristics … indicate that the transmission distance of [COVID-19] might be 4 m,” the report says, translating as more than 13 feet.-----"

dcarch

blfenton

Do you sanitize your mailbox or mailslot for the mail carrier?

We bring ours in, sort it and then wash our hands and the counter.

There is no need to touch anything. We use a long grabber to take in all mail, BBQ them in the oven. All gets sterilized, including the insides of envelops and any nasties in between pages.

Sorting can spread viruses air-borne.

dcarch

We put nuisance mail on hold weeks ago. 100% of our financial obligations and activities are done online or by phone. I love an empty mail box.

Darch, that was a very interesting article. I find it strange they didn’t publish the actual data info on the face masks (they only said it was “high”).

We are sanitizing groceries and mail. Groceries sit out on the back porch for a few days, except for produce, which we treat as Lindac92 does. It doesn't take long; I don't think it's a big deal. And yes, we sanitize the mail box as well.

dcarch7 d c f l a s h 7 @ y a h o o . c o m

I have read that covid-19 were found 17 days later after the cruise ship was vacated. As far as I know they are many situations covit-19 survival has not been investigated, for instance, how long the virus can survive in between papers, dark places, wet surfaces ----etc.

That was NOT live virus that was found. It was the RNA. Good grief people. You are going SO overboard with all this sanitizing of mail and other silliness.

Chessie, there's no need to grieve. ("Good grief people.") It doesn't harm anyone for some of us to clean more thoroughly than others.

The virus is called coronavirus; the disease is called COVID-19. So you will not find COVID-19 on your mail. You might find the virus though.

I apologize to those of you who take a more relaxed approach to this covid-19 pandemic issue, you are probably a lucky young health individual, who can deal with this disease as if it is nothing more serious than a simple everyday cold/flu.

But for many other members here, catching the virus is close to a death sentence. Many members here who have pre-existing health issues and age limitations, death is real. They have to take extraordinary tactics since death is irreversible. At this time, the medical experts still can't be sure about the exact nature of the covid-19 virus and how it can infect 2,000,000 and kill over 100,000 in a short few months.

Thank you for your understanding and stay healthy.

dcarch

matthias_lang LOL. I am certainly NOT grieving. (Is English not your first language?).

No there is nothing harmful about overcleaning. Just wanted to express an opinion.

I certainly would rather folks oversantize and stay healthy than undersanitize and get sick. :-)

dcarch7 d c f l a s h 7 @ y a h o o . c o m

I apologize to those of you who take a more relaxed approach to this covid-19 pandemic issue, you are probably a lucky young health individual, who can deal with this disease as if it is nothing more serious than a simple everyday cold/flu.

But for many other members here, catching the virus is close to a death sentence. Many members here who have pre-existing health issues and age limitations, death is real. They have to take extraordinary tactics since death is irreversible. At this time, the medical experts still can't be sure about the exact nature of the covid-19 virus and how it can infect 2,000,000 and kill over 100,000 in a short few months.

Thank you for your understanding and stay healthy.

Thank you brother, fellow NewYorker. We are so overboard taking precautions, and have been for 6 weeks now, watching so seriously, being in a hot spot.

No precautions are too many.

So many across the country are not comprehending the pandemic explosion of this virus.

Stay home. Be safe. Look after your elderly neighbors.

-Sleeve

fellow NewYorker

I was just going to say, I think the reaction may be at least partially regional. I’m seeing very different reactions from other parts of the country, and possibly even within this state, where this may seem like something that’s just on the news. Not phone calls and emails with actual names attached.

No need to apologize, dcarch. Just about everyone I know is being very aware and careful.

I got a letter from Sioux Falls, SD today and a package with a drain strainer from China. If I had known what was in the letter, I would have thrown it out without opening it, but I did wash my hands thoroughly.