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Ordering food for pick up is a generally safe way of keeping yourself fed and supporting local restaurants during quarantine. However, there can still be some anxiety surrounding the safest ways to go about food pick up.
With that in mind, keep reading for the worst mistake you can make when picking up food in quarantine.
Forgetting to Social Distance
Abiding by social distancing guidelines is the best way to prevent the spread of coronavirus, so you should still be following these measures when it comes to picking up your food.
Dr. Jaimie Meyer, assistant professor of medicine and assistant clinical professor of nursing at Yale School of Medicine, told Business Insider, "If you do carry-out or drive-thru, you'll want to keep your distance from other people as much as possible."
Meyer's advice continued, "Consider going at less crowded times or staying outside or in your car until your order is ready. If you can, avoid touching high-touch surfaces (like that communal pen!) Practice good hand hygiene — wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer."
Another great option is to ask the restaurant about their pick up procedures before placing your order. Many places are offering contactless curbside pick up, in which case you pay online or over the phone and your order is placed in the trunk of your car at pick up.
However, it's still a good idea to come prepared with a mask and hand sanitizer. Although employees should be following social distancing guidelines, it's better to err on the side of caution just in case the restaurant worker needs to ask you any questions.