Federal food Minister gives the all-clear: the corona virus is not transmitted through food
Chills, sore throat, fever, cough and respiratory problems – the symptoms of Sars-CoV-2 is similar to that of a common cold.
Since the disease has now also reached Germany, many open questions are in the room, especially the Transmission of Coronavirus is a cause of uncertainty.
Previously, it was found that the novel Virus is transmitted from person to person – the main route of transmission droplet infection.
Consumers are also concerned that the Virus could also be transferred to Germany in imported food and other imported products to the people.
The Federal Ministry of food and agriculture, answer the question now on the basis of the findings and evaluation of the Federal Institute for risk assessment (BfR) and gives the all-clear.
This is so far about the corona virus known
The Coronavirus is apparently erupted at the end of 2019, first, in the Chinese city of Wuhan and was able to spread from there even to Germany.
Corona viruses are not new – they were first identified according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) in the mid-1960s.
In humans it causes a variety of diseases and causes of different symptoms, from harmless colds to potentially lethal diseases such as MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) and SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome).
The novel Coronavirus that erupted in China, which is officially called a SARS-CoV-2.
The Virus is by imported food transferable?
So far, it could be demonstrated according to the Federal Ministry of food in any of the cases, the affected patients have been infected through the consumption of contaminated food or by imported commodities with the novel Coronavirus.
Also for other virus of the Corona group, no reports of infections due to food or contact with dry surfaces are known.
Federal Minister Julia Klöckner emphasized: “According to the current state of knowledge, it is unlikely that import Goods such as food could be the source of infection with the novel Coronavirus. The main reason for this is the relatively low environmental stability of viruses.“
The BfR points out that this assessment also applies to the recent publication on the survival ability of the well-known corona viruses by scientists at the universities of Greifswald and Bochum.
So you can protect yourself at the moment before the Virus
Transmission of the Virus via contaminated food or imported products so far, therefore, as unlikely – nevertheless, should be observed when handling with appropriate products and foodstuffs, the General rules of the Hygiene of everyday life.
These include regular hands washing and hygiene rules in the preparation of food – the viruses are heat-sensitive, so the infection can be reduced risk due to the Heating of food.
Because corona viruses are transmitted by droplet or smear infection, is recommended the Robert-Koch-Institute the following measures to be taken against contagion:
- good hand hygiene
- Cough and Sneezing etiquette
- To Patients distance and possible Sufferers of approximately one to two meters
Sources
- The Federal Ministry of food and agriculture Federal Ministry of food informed: Transmission of the Coronavirus by imported food is unlikely, retrieved on 28.02.2020 https://www.bmel.de/SharedDocs/Pressemitteilungen/2020/042-uebertragung-coronavirus-importierte-lebensmittel-unwahrscheinlich.html
- Ruhr University Bochum: How long is corona virus on surfaces can survive and how it disables you to retrieve on the 28.02.2020 https://news.rub.de/presseinformationen/wissenschaft/2020-02-07-medizin-wie-lang-coronaviren-auf-flaechen-ueberleben-und-wie-man-sie-inaktiviert#photo-download-wrapper
- University of Greifswald: How long is corona virus on surfaces can survive and how it disables you to retrieve on the 28.02.2020 https://www.uni-greifswald.de/universitaet/information/aktuelles/detail/n/wie-lang-coronaviren-auf-flaechen-ueberleben-und-wie-man-sie-inaktiviert-60251/
- Robert Koch Institute: answers to frequently asked questions about the Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, retrieved on 28.02.2020 https://www.rki.de/SharedDocs/FAQ/NCOV2019/FAQ_Liste.html
Antonia Hagedorn
*The contribution of the “Federal food Minister gives the all-clear: Coronavirus is not published by food” is transmitted from FitForFun. Contact with the executives here.
