Our expert dietitian Sarah Noone shares some expert advice on food and the coronavirus as well as tips on maintaining good nutrition while isolating.

What nutrition advice would you give someone who is self-isolating due to Covid-19?

If you are self-isolating and particularly if you have symptoms, it is important to maintain good nutrition and hydration. Make sure you are eating and drinking regularly, even if your appetite is low. If you have specific nutrition needs, it is important to continue to follow dietary recommendations set by your dietitian or doctor.

How can I make the best use of the food I buy?

Firstly, there is no need to stockpile food remember any shortages that currently exist are due to panic buying. Although you should try keep shopping trips to a minimum, if you are not ill or cocooning and remember to practise social distancing, you can still visit the shops to buy your normal shop.

Here are some tips to make the food you buy go further:

• Use up fresh ingredients first to avoid food going to waste
• Put food that needs to be used first to the front of cupboards/ fridge
• Know what keeps fresh the longest. Remember fresh foods with relatively long shelf life includes root vegetables such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots and onions.

Should I be concerned about food safety and COVID-19 transmission? 

The European Food Safety Authority has said there is there is currently no evidence that COVID-19 can be transmitted through eating food. However, good hygiene and food safety practices are always recommended to minimise the risk of foodborne illnesses.

• Wash your hands for 20 seconds with soap before and after preparing or eating food
• Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze and remember to wash your hands afterwards
• Wash fruits and veg before eating
• Disinfect surfaces and objects before and after use
• Store and prepare raw and cooked foods separately
• Make sure to cook and reheat foods to adequate temperature

Can you catch COVID-19 from touching food packaging?

While there is some evidence that the virus can survive on hard surfaces, the risk from handling food packing is very low and there is no evidence to date that the illness can be transmitted in this way.

However, good hygiene practices to minimise the risk of infection in general are still important:

• Wash your hands both after returning home from the shop and after handling newly purchased/delivered food packaging.
• Avoid touching foods in the shops you are not going to buy
• Use contactless payment methods and self-service tills where you can
• Keep the recommended 2 metres social distance when shopping
• Reduce the number of shopping you need to make by using a weekly meal plan and list

Finally remember that the main risk of coronavirus transmission is from close contact with someone who has the virus. Therefore, good hygiene practice and social distancing continue to be the best ways of avoiding infection.

Stay safe, stay at home and keep well.

We are here for you

The Irish Heart Foundation’s nurse support line is available five days a week. Anyone living with heart disease and stroke who has concerns or questions about the coronavirus can contact the nurse support line on 01 668 5001 or support@irishheart.ie.

The Irish Heart Foundation’s new heart support group is on Facebook. Anyone who lives with heart failure or another heart condition or has a family member living with a heart condition can join here: www.facebook.com/groups/heartsupportnetwork/

The Irish Heart Foundation runs 21 stroke support groups and 5 heart failure groups around the country. All these groups have moved to telephone and online support. For more information, see https://irishheart.ie/get-support/.