Precautions Food Delivery Chains Are Taking To Ensure Customers & Riders Are Safe From COVID-19

The recent case of a pizza delivery guy testing positive for COVID-19 in Delhi has shocked everyone. Consequently, the 72 families in south Delhi with whom the person is thought to have come into contact have been told to self-quarantine.

Food delivery chains like Zomato and Swiggy are trying to take all possible measures to ensure that food and other necessary items are delivered to customers minus the risk of them or their delivery personnel contracting the virus.

AFP

These food delivery apps and their delivery is what is keeping some households functional. Zomato, Swiggy and Dunzo are trying to make essentials available for their customers even in this difficult time and here is what they are trying to do to ensure safety.

• Displaying body temperature

To make costumers feel safe and to ensure the good health of their own riders, Zomato has reportedly started displaying the the body temperature of the delivery personnel on the app. However, Zomato is not the first to have done this. This was initially done by Chinese food delivery apps in China.

After placing your order on Zomato, a food delivery executive is assigned to you. After your food has been picked from the restaurant and the rider is on the way, apart from the location, you can now also track the person¡¯s body temperature.

Zomato

Many of Zomato¡¯s restaurant partners are using thermal sensing devices to check the body temperatures of the delivery partners. Zomato said that restaurants will only let the executives deliver food if their body temperature is normal.

• No-contact delivery

Swiggy on its part has introduced the option of no-contact delivery keeping in mind the social distancing policy.

91 Mobiles

If you choose your payment method to be prepaid (which you ideally should to avoid exchange of cash via hands) you can opt for no-contact delivery. This way, the delivery executive will drop your order at your gate/main door, ring the bell and place your food minus physical contact thereby ensuring social distancing. Dominoes is another company in India that is offering no-contact delivery options.

• Strict hygiene guidelines

These food-delivery apps also show you the list of restaurants that are adhering to strict hygiene guidelines issued by the World Health Organisation. To help you place your orders easily the apps provide a list of places closest to your location.

Even though these food delivery chains are taking all possible measures to ensure safety one should take precautions on an individual level as well. Make sure you dispose of the food packets after you are done with them, if you can, heat your food before eating it.

We are all #inthistogether and the only way to break the chain is by following social distancing guidelines.