As the coronavirus pandemic continues to rage, Governor Christopher Sununu of New Hampshire urged shoppers on March 21 to stop using their reusable bags as he would be instructing stores to only use new plastic and paper bags.
Research has indicated that the coronavirus can survive on surfaces for up to days. This has raised concerns among grocery store employees that they could come under increased risk of infection. The coronavirus could potentially linger in reusable bags and thereby transfer the virus to people handling the bag.
Plastic bags have been under the crosshairs of environmentalists for years because they are not easily biodegradable and can contaminate water and soil. This has resulted in many states such as New Hampshire considering restrictions on their use. But the pandemic may reverse that trend, at least for the foreseeable future.
In a Twitter post, Sununu said that “with identified community transmission (of the coronavirus), it is important that shoppers keep their reusable bags at home given the potential risk to baggers, grocers, and customers.”
He added: “I will be issuing an emergency order shortly directing all grocers and retail stores in the state to temporarily transition to only use new paper or plastic grocery bags provided by stores as soon as feasibly possible.”
Requests for comment were not immediately returned by the governor’s office.
Earlier in the week, the New England Journal of Medicine published a study that discovered that the coronavirus remained viable in droplets in the air for hours and surviving for days on surfaces.
Large gatherings have already been banned in New Hampshire while restaurants and bars have been restricted to providing delivery, drive-thru, and takeout services. Public schools have also been advised to use e-learning, all in an effort to slow down the spread of the coronavirus.
As of March 21, New Hampshire had 55 confirmed cases with those numbers expected to rise.
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