Original Research Article
Year: 2021 | Month: January-March | Volume: 6 | Issue: 1 | Pages: 246-250
Knowledge and Practice Regarding Safe Food Handling During COVID-19 among General Population in India, a Descriptive Study
Naorem Bijyarani Devi1, Madhavi Verma2, Deepa Chettry3, Himanshi4, Jyoti5
1,3,4,5 M.Sc. Nursing, College of Nursing, Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS), New Delhi.
2Reader, College of Nursing, Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS), New Delhi.
Corresponding Author: Naorem Bijyarani Devi
ABSTRACT
Introduction: A novel corona virus (CoV) came into picture as a virus which caused severe outbreak of the illness in the Wuhan, a city of China in late December 2019 and it was officially named as 2019-nCoV by the World Health Organization (WHO, 2020). Food safety was among the four pillars of the food systems affected in the era of the corona virus (COVID-19) pandemic. The aim of the study was to assess the knowledge and practice regarding safety food handling during COVID-19 among general population in India.
Method: A quantitative descriptive research design was used which was conducted among general public in India. Total enumeration sampling technique was used and sample size was 290. Adults more than 18 years of age who were eligible to answer and fill in online basis and those who can access to the internet were included in the study. The tool used was online survey questionnaire.
Results: Total of 54.13 percent participants revealed that corona virus could be transmitted through food and drinks. Out of 290, 84.82 percent expressed that COVID-19 infected person could not handle food for cooking and serving purposes and 80.02 percent soaked vegetables or raw food in warm water before cooking. Out of these, 45 percent preferred egg.
Conclusion: The study concluded that more than half of the participants revealed that corona virus could be transmitted through food and drinks by one or other means.
Keywords: Covid-19, Knowledge, Practice, Food handling.