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A little-known, free service in Woolworths and Coles supermarkets may help put at ease shoppers who are becoming increasingly concerned about hygiene while at public places.<\/p>\n
With the potential spread of coronavirus Australians are becoming more vigilant at taking precautions to minimise the spread of infection.<\/p>\n
One area of concern is the shared items at supermarkets including shopping baskets and trolleys.<\/p>\n
A 2017 study found shopping trolleys from \u2018traditional\u2019 grocery stores have 361 times more germs than your average toilet door handle, and when you consider how many times a day a shopping trolley is used every day, it should be no surprise they can be riddled with germs.<\/p>\n
A free service available to supermarket customers can help them minimise the risk of coming in contact with harmful bacteria.<\/p>\n\nIn all Woolworths stores in Australia and most Coles stores, people can access hygiene stations to wipe down their trolleys. Source: Supplied (left)\/Getty (right)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption>More<\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<\/figure>\nWoolworths and Coles have both implemented facilities to protect customers from potential germs when handling trolleys and baskets.<\/p>\n
A Woolworths spokesperson confirmed to Yahoo New Australia hygiene stations have been in stores for \u201ca number of years\u201d now.<\/p>\n
\u201cHygiene stations \u2013 which include hand sanitiser and anti-bacterial wipes for customers \u2013 are located in all our\u00a0stores nationwide,\u201d the spokesperson said.<\/p>\n
A Coles spokesperson confirmed to Yahoo the shopping baskets are cleaned daily, and shopping trolleys are washed \u201cwhen required\u201d.<\/p>\n\n“Help yourself to a shopping trolley wipe,” the Woolworths hygiene station says. Source: Supplied<\/p>\n<\/figcaption>More<\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n\u201cWe also have hygienic wipe dispensers available for customers at the majority of our stores across the country,\u201d the Coles spokesperson told Yahoo News Australia.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf hygienic wipes are not available, customers can ask at the customer service desk and our team members can assist them.\u201d<\/p>\n
One Coles shopper said they were impressed to discover their local store was supplying anti-bacterial trolley wipes and paper at the trolley bay.<\/p>\n\nTo prevent the spread of harmful bacteria, supermarkets across Australia have provided anti-bacterial dispensers in recent years. Source: AAP Image<\/p>\n<\/figcaption>More<\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n\u201cMy prayer has been answered!! I hope all other supermarkets will follow suit. It is called customer service and hygiene,\u201d the customer wrote on Facebook.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell done Coles.\u201d<\/p>\n
Should you wipe down your shopping trolley?<\/h2>\n Dr Holly Seale, an expert in infectious diseases from the University of NSW, told Yahoo News Australia it is important to advocate for good hygiene within our communities.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat includes hand washing after going to the bathroom, before handling food, or being in contact with children or anyone who has got a respiratory infection, or definitely a diarrheal infection\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe always want to make sure we\u2019re doing those things anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n\nBoth Woolworths and Coles provide anti-bacterial dispensers for customers to wipe down their trolleys. Source: Getty<\/p>\n<\/figcaption>More<\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<\/figure>\nStory continues<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n\n
Dr Seale said shopping trolleys are just like any other surface you come into contact with on a day-to-day basis and wiping down a trolley is just \u201ccommon sense\u201d in a few circumstances.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you think you\u2019re going to be placing a child in one of those trolleys, or maybe you\u2019re handling it and you\u2019ve got an underlying health condition, it is important to go one step ahead and try and clean that product.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, Dr Seale said wiping down an entire shopping trolley for the rest of the healthy population wasn\u2019t necessary, instead, she says it\u2019s important to focus on good personal hygiene, and avoid touching your face after touching a shopping trolley.<\/p>\n\nAlthough the general population should not stress about wiping down their trolley, parents with children should consider it. Source: Getty<\/p>\n<\/figcaption>More<\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n\u201cThe risk [of getting sick from a trolley] isn\u2019t that high,\u201d she said, stressing it is still important to look out for those most vulnerable within the community \u2013 children, people with a chronic illness and the elderly.<\/p>\n
Dr Seale also said she doubts we will start to see shoppers regularly wiping down their trolleys, and if people become obsessive about cleaning their trolleys, it could negatively impact their mental health.<\/p>\n
So instead, she suggests going back to basics and having a balance.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have enough trouble getting people to comply with hand hygiene, so let\u2019s focus on that instead. Let\u2019s make sure everybody understands how to properly wash their hands.\u201d<\/p>\n
In a statement to Yahoo News Australia, NSW Health explained the best and easiest way to prevent the spread of germs.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile using antibacterial wipes on shopping trolleys is useful, simple hand hygiene measures when out and about is best to help limit the spread of unnecessary infections,\u201d a NSW Health spokesperson said.<\/p>\n\nDr Seale said it would be most beneficial to encourage personal hygiene. Source: Getty<\/p>\n<\/figcaption>More<\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<\/figure>\nIn 2016, a mother from Queensland believed her infant son contracted a deadly combination of illnesses after a trip to the supermarket.<\/p>\n
Her son, who is susceptible to illnesses, suffered salmonella poisoning, was placed in intensive care and doctors agreed placing her child in the shopping trolley may have made the child ill.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf anything it\u2019s my own fault for not thinking about wiping it down, for not protecting my child,\u201d she said on 7 News, calling for all supermarkets to have anti-bacterial wipes available and for parents to use them.<\/p>\n
Do you have a story tip? Email:\u00a0<\/strong>newsroomau@yahoonews.com<\/strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\nYou can also follow us on\u00a0<\/strong>Facebook<\/strong>,\u00a0<\/strong>Instagram<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/strong>Twitter<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0and download the Yahoo News app from the\u00a0<\/strong>App Store<\/strong>\u00a0or\u00a0<\/strong>Google Play<\/strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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