The eCommerce industry has seen a lot of growth during the COVID-19 crisis. eCommerce spending in the U.S. is up more than 30% from the beginning of March through mid-April compared to the same period last year, according to market research firm Rakuten Intelligence. With a boost in the eCommerce industry, it is important to note that consumer demand for packaged goods is also increasing.
Covid-19 and The Packaging Industry
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have all been subjected to constantly having to sanitize and wash our hands and wipe all the surfaces we touch. According to the CDC, the corona virus spreads when a person touches their eyes, mouth or a contaminated surface. This article will detail on how long the corona virus lasts on different surfaces and the best practices applied in the packaging industry during the pandemic, that will minimize your chances of getting in contact with the virus.
A research study published this month in The Lancet Microbe journal reveals a detailed and in-depth report on how long the COIVID-19 virus lasts on various common surfaces. It appears that the corona virus can last for seven days on the outer surface of surgical masks According to a prior study published in March, in the New England Journal of Medicine, the virus can survive for up to three days on plastic and stainless steel. However, the virus only survives for a day on cardboard boxes and surfaces.
It is highly unlikely that a person can contract COVID-19 after touching a box that arrives in the mail. This is due to the fact that the shipping environments make it difficult for the corona virus to survive. Rachel Graham, an epidemiologist at the University of North Carolina, in a Business Insider interview said, "Viruses are likely to only live a few hours to a few days under the sort of conditions we expose packages to, including shifts in temperature and humidity.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Although the virus can survive for a short period on some surfaces, it is unlikely to be spread from domestic or international mail, products or packaging.
In addition to taking all the necessary precautionary steps to prevent the spread of the virus, it is always a good idea to use surface disinfectants like Lysol or Clorox to wipe off any surfaces that have contact with the outside world. These disinfectants can kill viral particles within 15 seconds, but if you want to be extra careful, you can wait for a few minutes before touching them. Also, a good tip to remember is to wash your hands for 20 seconds every few hours, use disinfectants on surfaces and irrespective of any advice that says otherwise, never to ingest them!
Final Thoughts
This may be the 100th COVID-19 related article you are reading but we’d love to offer a safe environment for our team and solution to our eCommerce merchants. At Arka, we are striving to ensure that all of our contributors, providers, and family members are safe and healthy. First off, we are taking all the required measures recommended by the CDC. All custom boxes are made in the USA. Our paper is also sourced here in the USA. We source recyclable and quality material for our boxes and institute certified hygienic practices at our facilities.
We’ve been giving our customers, quite literally, the white glove treatment with even touching or handling our boxes. Jokes aside, we just want to ensure that all of our contributors, providers, and family members are safe and healthy, hoping you and yours are as well.
At Arka we offer custom shipping boxes and mailer boxes that ensure safety and high-quality. You can contact us today to design a custom box for your unique brand; whether you need cosmetic boxes or shoe boxes we can help!
Need packaging?