Chance of COVID-19 infection from commercial goods low; WHO

The Westwind Weekly News would like to assure its readers that they can’t catch COVID-19 from picking up its papers.

According to the World Health Organization, the likelihood of an infected person contaminating commercial goods is low and the risk of catching the virus from a package that has been moved, travelled, and exposed to different conditions and temperature is also low. 

The people involved in producing a copy of the paper are taking precautions, such as social distancing, at all stages of production. Operating hours at our offices have also been reduced, with the majority of staff members working remotely.

Canada Post, who delivers the papers to our subscribers, have also implemented new cleaning protocols and are making changes in their deliveries to facilitate social distancing.

COVID-19 is transmitted through person-to-person spread through larger droplets, like from a cough or sneeze, and by touching a contaminated object or surface, then touching your eyes, nose or mouth. It is not airborne and the virus cannot spread through the air over long distances or times, like the measles, and it cannot be  transmitted through skin.

While studies suggest that the virus generally only survives for a few hours on a surface, it may be possible for it to survive several days under ideal conditions. However, as much of newspaper delivery is done in an open air environment, any risks are greatly diminished.