If organizations ask for physical donations or receive unsolicited donations, take basic safety precautions and follow these guidelines:
Request donors stay home if they are sick.
Request donors wear a mask or face covering when dropping off donations
Request food donations be shelf stable and that donors take usual food-related infection prevention precautions.
Set up no-contact drop-off points for donations to encourage physical distancing between staff and those donating.
Wear a face covering and gloves when handling donated items.
Wash hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water after handling donated items.
If possible, let donated items sit for a day (24 hours) before giving them to another organization or the public.
From current scientific data, COVID-19 is spread primarily person-to-person when people are in close contact. Close contact means a total of 15 minutes or more within 6 feet in a 24 hour period, with or without a mask.
It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or eyes. Health experts and researchers do not believe this is the main way the virus spreads.
When giving donations to another organization or the public, remind people to wash their hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water after handling donated items.
If organizations or the public want to clean and disinfect donations, they can wash clothing, sheets, towels, or other fabrics on high heat settings and clean and disinfect items that are nonporous, such as items made of plastic. Follow cleaning and disinfectant product instructions.