As parts of Canada begin to reopen following a nationwide lockdown to stop the spread of the deadly coronavirus pandemic, the country’s chief public health officer is warning people to remain vigilant.

Canada’s reported more than 2,290 deaths and about 43,500 cases of the virus since the pandemic was declared on March 11. And while the spread may be slowing in Saskatchewan and Prince Edward Island, it’s still peaking in the country’s most populous provinces of Ontario and Quebec.

“I think we have to tread very carefully at this point,” Dr. Theresa Tam said. “We are seeing some bumps in the road that remind us we can’t let down our guard.”

Whether you’re continuing to hunker down, getting ready for the new normal, or bracing for subsequent waves of the pandemic, now is a good time to review best practices for dealing with the coronavirus on everyday surfaces.

How does COVID-19 spread?

The virus can spread from an infected person through respiratory droplets generated when someone coughs or sneezes, through personal contact (such as shaking hands) with an infected person, or by touching something with the virus on it.

How long can the coronavirus survive on surfaces?

The New England Journal of Medicine published a study in March, which tested how long the virus could remain on various surfaces in a lab setting. It showed that the virus was detected on copper for up to four hours, on cardboard for up to 24 hours and on plastic and steel for up to 72 hours.

The amount of the virus decreased over time and so the risk of infection from touching the surfaces would likely fall over time as well.

What are some of the most dangerous surfaces?

Any surface in a public place is potentially hazardous because you don’t know who has been there, or if they were infected.

For this reason, it’s important to avoid high-touch areas such as public transit, or grocery stores.

It’s important to avoid touching door handles, light switches, or taps that others may have touched and contaminated.

Can you get the virus from food?

There haven’t been any reported cases of COVID-19 being spread through food, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.

However, it’s still recommended to follow safe food handling and cooking practices — such as washing fruits and vegetables in running water, properly cooking food and keeping counters and prep areas disinfected and clean.

Could you get the virus from groceries?

There’s no evidence that you can get the virus from food packaging, but that doesn’t mean it’s not possible, said Dr. Julia Marcus, an infectious disease epidemiologist and professor in the Department of Population Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

“The potential risk is that an infected person recently handled our groceries, and then we touch those items and go on to touch our eyes, nose, or mouth,” she said. “There are several ways to reduce this risk, including letting the groceries sit untouched for some time, disposing of outer food packaging, or disinfecting hard surfaces like bottles or cans, but the most important thing is to wash your hands well after handling anything new that comes into your home.”

Is it possible that food deliveries or packages received in the post are contaminated?

There is a chance that a delivery person, or container could spread the virus. That’s why it’s best to use contactless payment methods.

And best practise would be to throw out or recycle any packaging. Also, remember to carefully wash your hands after handling it.

That said, if you’re receiving a book, or clothing that’s been packed in cardboard, it’s much more likely that the cardboard could be contaminated than the contents, which likely already spent days packed up.

High-touch surfaces such as toys, toilets, phones, electronics, door handles and TV remotes should be cleaned regularly

How safe are non-medical grade masks?

“The recommendation is to use a cloth face mask that fits snugly and has multiple layers of fabric,” said Harvard’s Dr. Marcus. “Cloth masks can be reused, but should be washed in between uses with hot water and laundry detergent.”

Are there any tips for cleaning surfaces?

Coronaviruses can be destroyed on surfaces by using appropriate disinfectants and following the instructions, according to Canada’s health agency.

Regular household cleaners including bleach solutions and cleaners with at least 70 per cent alcohol content should be effective.

High-touch surfaces such as toys, toilets, phones, electronics, door handles and TV remotes should be cleaned regularly.

And if somebody in your home has been diagnosed with the virus then everything should be disinfected more frequently.

This story idea initially came from a reader who took part in our COVID-19 ‘Ask Us Anything’ initiative. Want to know more? Ask us a question here.