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Whether or not we should be eating from outside and using food delivery apps is on everyone’s mind — especially those doing the cooking. The verdict: It’s a two-way street that you need to approach with some caution. “Safety precautions need to be followed by both parties. If the food handler is infected and handles anything without following precautions, then you are exposed to the risk of infection,” says Dr Deepak Parashar of health service provider Healthians.

Dr Atish Laddad, founder of the doctor tech platform Docterz, adds that contracting infections and viruses through the medium of food delivery, packaging or the food itself is marginally low. “The prime worry is diffusion of infection from person to person — in other words getting exposed to individuals who are symptomatic,” he says. However, he adds that this does not imply that you should not take any precautionary measures when ordering food from out.

When it comes to what to order, Dr Avnish Seth, director, gastroenterology at the Fortis Memorial Research Institute in Gurugram, suggests ordering cooked food over salads and fresh juices. Also, reheat the food before consuming it. And for transactions, he recommends to keep exposure as low as possible.

“If you have to pay by cash and get change back, take the leftover money in a bag. If a credit/debit card has been used, wipe with alcohol and place in a zip lock bag,” he says.

First, find out what measures the restaurant is taking in terms of hygiene and packaging. Also, now may not be the time to try out places you are unfamiliar with. Dr Pritam Moon, internal medicine consultant Wockhardt Hospital at Mira Road, Mumbai, adds, “The delivery person has to have taken enough precautions such as wearing gloves, sanitising his hands and covering his mouth as well.”

If you are ordering food, one of the main preventive measures you need to take is keeping a distance and limiting your contact with the delivery person. Dr Vikrant Shah, consulting physician, intensivist and infectious disease specialist at Zen Multispeciality Hospital in Mumbai, suggests, “Wear gloves before han-dling the package. Wipe the package before opening it. Sanitise or wash your hands after opening the package. And then, dispose of the package properly and wash your hands.”