We are all living through uncertain times. Which is why it is understandable why you would think twice before ordering the latest miniature car models for your diecast car collection.
You would probably be pretty relieved if you were to find out that you can order your favourite replica cars without worrying about COVID-19 reaching your doorstep. It would definitely put your mind at ease to know that by doing something as trivial as buying miniature cars to enhance your collection could bring a smile on your face, while keeping you and your family safe.
Should you be ordering diecast model cars right now?
There is an apprehension among people to shop and order packages from delivery services, fearing that packages might contain the infection. Considering the opinion of Dr Amesh A. Adalja, who is Senior Scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, there is no evidence discovered up until now that points towards any proven spread of the virus through shipped packages. In his opinion, the air temperature enveloping the package as they are shipped is not deemed conducive for the sustainability of the virus and further spread of the infection.
Dr Adalja believes that in general transit conditions are also not conducive for the virus to remain transmissible, considering the number of different factors that directly impact the viability of the virus such as exposure to the Ultraviolet rays, unstable temperature, fluctuations in humidity, among many others. Thus, even if you decide to ship your package of 1/18 diecast cars overnight, according to him, you have nothing to worry about. As the factory is located in China and the container spends several weeks in transit through sea and land, there is no chance the virus could have survived.
Do medical experts believe it is safe for you to buy your favourite miniature cars?
According to medical experts, you can completely feel at ease about shopping online and buying new 1/18 diecast cars and adding them to your diecast car collection. Experts believe that the risk of rapid virus transmission through touching and opening of boxes or packages is exceedingly minimal.
In the opinion of Dr David Cennimo, who is an infectious disease specialist currently teaching at the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School in Newark, the possibility of COVID-19 infection spreading through packages containing products such as miniature car models, is highly improbable and far-fetched.
Researchers are still in the process of learning about the Coronavirus and its modes of transmissions. However, there is a consensus that viruses such as this cannot survive for long on surfaces of objects such as resin model cars. This opinion is echoed by the Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore. According to them, the infection primarily spreads through inhaling the same ambient air or inhaling droplets that are transmitted by sneeze and cough of the person carrying the virus.
Another medical expert who shares the same opinion is Dr Jack Caravanos, who is a clinical professor at the environmental public health sciences at the NYU School of Global Public Health. He also holds the understanding that shipped packages carrying your favourite replica cars, poses quite a low risk, or none, of infection given the time taken by the package to reach you and the relative unconducive environment of the transit.
What does public health authorities say?
Leading public health authorities such as the CDC (Centre for Disease Control and Prevention)are reverberating the same opinion that there is no proven link has been established that can signify the spread of the virus through inanimate objects. According to the CDC, Coronaviruses demonstrate poor sustainability on the surfaces of objects. This is the reason why the likelihood of spread from products such as your preferred miniature car models, are extremely low. It is because products such as the diecast model cars are often shipped over a period of days or weeks, creating unsustainable ambient conditions for the virus.
As per the CDC, presently, there is no proof to suggest that ordering packages such as the 1/18 diecast models, can aid the transmission of 2019-nCoV. The CDC has yet to encounter a 2019-nCoV case in the U.S. that is associated with imported goods.
How can you disinfect your package of replica cars?
Despite the above assurances, if you are still feeling apprehensive about shopping for miniature cars, and adding them to your exclusive diecast car collection, then just disinfect the inanimate surfaces on the packaging, but not directly on the scale model car. It is pretty simple to do. Another very useful protection is to cover your beloved DNA Collectibles scale model cars with its relative acrylic showcase. You can find the showcase fitting models on their acrylic base here and the showcase fitting the black plastic showcase here. In this case, you would only have to disinfect the cover without altering and facing the risk to break parts of your scale model.
According to the WHO, disinfection could be performed by thoroughly cleaning the surfaces of objects that we touch, with water and detergent and using ordinary disinfectants that are used in hospitals, like the sodium hypochlorite. You can easily clean your newly arrived miniature model cars in just 5 seconds, completely disinfecting their inanimate surface on the packaging.
Please do not forget the main precautions
Regardless of whether you are receiving your diecast model cars through local delivery or an overseas shipment, or you are currently working at a store or warehouse that is entrusted with the task of receiving the shipment from abroad, Dr David Cennimo recommends you to follow the same guidelines and take the precautions that experts around the globe are suggesting we should be taking.
These precautions include frequent hand washing all throughout the day, but particularly prior to eating. We must all try and keep our hands away from the nose, mouth and eyes and maintain proper social distancing and avoid contact with persons who have been or are currently exposed to the virus.
By following those simple rules you can be reassured that there is no risk to get Coronavirus (COVID-19) from a package!