Mail to and from China...article I saw today.

[moondogblues]

Has anyone else seen this?

https://www.yahoo.com/news/china-coronavirus-crisis-hits-global-171409342.html

[pburn]

The article clearly says, "The virus does “not survive for long on objects. It is therefore safe to receive postal items from China."

So, the article confirms packages from China are safe! That's great news!

Thanks so much for confirming what sensible, level-headed posters have been saying all along.

[moondogblues]

The problem is that no mail is going to or coming out of China because the airlines won't go there right now. So the 'slow boat to China' will be the only transport.

[ifyouloveit]

Q: Am I at risk for novel coronavirus from a package or products shipping from China?

There is still a lot that is unknown about the newly emerged 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) and how it spreads. Two other coronaviruses have emerged previously to cause severe illness in people (MERS and SARS). 2019-nCoV is more genetically related to SARS than MERS, but both are betacoronaviruses with their origins in bats. While we don’t know for sure that this virus will behave the same way as SARS and MERS, we can use the information from both of these earlier coronaviruses to guide us. In general, because of poor survivability of these coronaviruses on surfaces, there is likely very low risk of spread from products or packaging that are shipped over a period of days or weeks at ambient temperatures. Coronaviruses are generally thought to be spread most often by respiratory droplets. Currently there is no evidence to support transmission of 2019-nCoV associated with imported goods and there have not been any cases of 2019-nCoV in the United States associated with imported goods. Information will be provided on the 2019 Novel Coronavirus website as it becomes available.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html

[ebbyisme]

The quote you mention The virus does “not survive for long on objects. It is therefore safe to receive postal items from China." is from China Post!    Maybe not the most unbiased reliable source.

Medical and scientific sources are saying in general they aren't sure, with some saying they think the time frame is relatively short.

A study by the Journal of Hospital Infection authored by Professor Gunter Kampf  "Coronaviruses can live for up to 9 days on hard surfaces, with the average being 4 or 5 days", the Novel CoronaVirus could be different from other Corona viruses.

[lindyslucky]

I think I replied to you on another virus post.

About putting things in the freezer.

[pburn]

You did! LOL!

And I replied that it would contaminate everything in your freezer--including your freezer!

[pburn]

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@ebbyisme wrote:

The quote you mention The virus does “not survive for long on objects. It is therefore safe to receive postal items from China." is from China Post!    Maybe not the most unbiased reliable source.

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The quote might be from China Post; however, they were quoting the World Health Organization:

"Is it safe to receive a package from China or any other place where the virus has been identified?

Yes, it is safe.  People receiving packages are not at risk of contracting the new coronavirus. From experience with other coronaviruses, we know that these types of viruses don’t survive long on objects, such as letters or packages."

[bar-29368]

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@moondogblues wrote:
The problem is that no mail is going to or coming out of China because the airlines won't go there right now. So the 'slow boat to China' will be the only transport.

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Which is the whole point really.

Doesn't matter how long the virus does or not stay active on parcels if there are no parcels going in or out due to no carriers available to transport said parcels.

USPS also had an alert that as from yesterday they were suspending the GD on Priority Express to China/Hong Kong.

[tools*]

10,000 people a year die from the influenza virus in the United States. Shouldn't you be more concerned about receiving packages from sellers in the US?

[pburn]

To be fair, the OP doesn't claim to have any concerns--just wonders if anyone has seen the article. The article states that packages/mail coming from China are safe, so one can assume the OP agrees with that position and is trying to disseminate the information through the discussion board(s).

[wesk_36]

It looks to me that moondogblues was posting a link about the global mail slowdown due to restricted travel, and said nothing about the virus spreading on packages.

I don't think anyone should be concerned about packages either, but that's their choice.

What everyone needs to be concerned about is following normal sound hygiene advice about spreading viruses person to person.

Yesterday I was in the grocery store and no less than 6 people near or walking by me sneezed or coughed without covering their face. That's not good; those people are sleeping, unaware, inconsiderate, sloppy or no hygiene, or just don't care. Take your pick.
Those kind of people are the real danger to spreading communicable diseases.

[nobody*s_perfect]

Today at the supermarket, the cashier sneezed right into her hand just before she handed me my receipt.  I'm much more worried about that than about my packages from China.

[stix-and-stones-and-bones]

Yah but no one wants to get anywhere close to china nor are the flying any planes in or out, all flights are suspended! I hope it stays that way Haven't you been keeping track of how fast this virus is spreading and how contagious it is???

[stix-and-stones-and-bones]

But the virus can survive on moist or objects that are living, like food , animals plants