Mask & gloves

I have only been into a local co-op very early on Saturday morning when it was virtually empty I took care, only got very few things I wore no mask. I don’t intend on going to a big store other than click and collect at Tesco once every 2/3 wks. I’m not going to risk it after having kept myself isolated for this long.

I have continued to do a weekly shop at my Sainsbury -3 miles away. Drive there and back and go in 'oldies' hour, but get there about half way through that time.
I will be 79 next month, really enjoy this once a week trip and change of scenery.
Never felt in any danger at all there. There are fewer and fewer people going in oldies time, and those that are there are all very polite and careful of each others space.
I use the 'zapper', so shopping goes directly from shelves into my own shopping bags.
Largish Supermarket, I go with a carefully prepared list and am usually finished and back in my car within about 35 minutes. I do wear a mask and gloves, only time I do - other times I am out, I am in open air so do not use these - put them on for this more for other peoples reassurance than to protect me.
I am so pleased that I continued to do my own weekly shop

At some point, we are going to have to start going out again. So pick a quiet time, maybe first thing in the morning - and have a quick trip to the supermarket. Write a list with just a few items so you know exactly what you are going to get. It really isn't as scary as you think it is going to be. Wear your mask, pay with your card if you have one.

If you live in a busy place you may find you need to queue outside as only a certain number are allowed in at one time, so be prepared to stand for a while.

You will know your local shops best so if you have a choice pick the more spacious one, or the one you feel most comfortable in. I am also careful to take only what I really need - one bag for my shopping, and I put a £20 note and my bank card into my phone cover. That way I don't have to juggle handbags etc.

Yes, Franbern, I do the same and now look forward to my weekly foray to Tesco - who’d have thought it? Not only can I choose my own shopping plus the odd items for neighbours, but by going the scenic route the car gets a bit of a run too, which can only do it good.

I wish I was brave enough to do my own shopping. I really miss going and choosing my own groceries.
As I am in my 70s and have asthma I feel that it may be too big a risk for me.

If you don’t have any health problems then it’s an acceptable risk, take precautions and go shopping! As everyone has said you can’t stay in forever.
Some of us have to though so we will stay home until a vaccine is ready.

I will be 77 soon and have some health problems but I am not shielded.

I am careful- today I drove to my local Waitrose, there was no queue, I went to buy a few items and the place was almost empty. I do not wear a mask or gloves but when I returned to my car I used sanitizer on my hands before driving off.

When I came home, I washed my hands, I wiped down my items put them away and then washed my hands again.-

I need to buy plants but if the store looks busy tomorrow I will drive home again. I just apply commonsense.

I wish everyone applied that Charley?but common sense is not so common, sadly.

Have you got a small shop nearby like a Spar or similar? It would be better for a few bits without having to queue and you still have the main shopping delivered. I'm 70 otherwise healthy but at the moment I'm in no hurry to do supermarket shopping, I've done on line shopping for years but like you miss shopping for extras and treats.

I am 68 and do our shopping once a week. My husband is 76 but also has a history of heart disease so I do all the shopping.
I don’t go to our local supermarket (Sainsbury’s) as it is smaller and the aisles are narrower than the larger Sainsbury’s 3-4 miles away. I go with a list and once I have every thing I come straight home. That means that the car gets a 7-8 mile run too. I go during the oldies hour and never have to queue.
I admit that I like going to a larger supermarket because this one has a large magazine selection and a more extensive clothing section and I can buy tee shirts etc too. Nice houseplants too.

I'd suggest going for a walk past some small, local shops.

If you happen to see one is empty, go in and buy something. If not, keep walking, and try another time.

I'm not over 70 so have done my own shopping from the start. At first I found it very scary. The whole atmosphere was horrible. Of course we were all upset and worried. Over the weeks I think it became more relaxed as shops and shoppers got used to the restrictions and rules and regs. I still only go once a week and wear gloves but no mask. I positively enjoyed it this week and went to 2 shops as well as getting petrol. I felt very daring. The best bit was just small chats in passing with shop assistants. Behind their screens they're still people and happy to say how they're getting on.
Staff on the shop floor weren't wearing masks I noticed. It's a smallish supermarket and only 30 people allowed in at a time. Well spaced aisles.
You might be surprised at how much you enjoy the experience when you venture out for the first time.

Of the large shops, Aldi seem to be really providing the safest shopping trip, in my experience.

I don't know if it's across the board, but the one I use sometimes has hand sanitiser, wipes, all before you go in, plus staff to help you.

The last time I went shopping was 19th March before lockdown and there were about 50 people in the queue in Tesco. No social distancing then.
From all your posts it sounds as though it is much safer now.

Thanks everybody: I need to go at some point because I’m becoming more anxious at the thought and need to confront my fears ?. Also get a bit fed up with, sometimes, unsuitable substitutes in my delivered shop. Plus I actually don’t enjoy online food ordering

I've been to supermarket, B&Q, garden centre, local shop, post office, chemist, Doctor for injection.

Forgot to add I'm 74.

I haven’t been to the supermarket but my husband who is under 70 went to B & Q yesterday and said it was horrible - or rather the shoppers were - and he’s not going again.
However the local Co-op is usually quiet and well organised so I’d try a smaller shop first.

Kangaroo73 don't get things out of proportion, provided you take sensible precautions all should be well.
We are both 74 and there are no home deliveries here so we have to go to the supermarket.
Masks, sanitiser etc and have your list ready so you can go straight to the things you need.
Worrying about it is worse than the event so go for it.

Just out of interest we all put hand sanitiser on when we get back to the car. But do we then sanitise the hand sanitiser bottle that we've just held with our potentially virus laiden hands? I realised the other day that I wasn't doing so and supposedly the virus lives on plastic longer than other surfaces.

Notice at local A&E when I was there yesterday told people NOT to rely on using alcohol based anti-vac sanitisers but just to wash hands in soap and hot water regularly.
I do not wash my shopping when I get it indoors, I take off my face mask and gloves as soon as I get back into my car.
Think I am careful, but most definitely not neurotic about this.
When I am out and about locally in park or along Promenade would not dream of putting on face mask, but do not come close to other people.
Do wonder why people are not opening their windows in this sunny weather, do think there are lots of myths and misinformation about this virus.
Do suppose that different parts of the country are different, not sure how happy I would be going to the large Sainsbury's each week if I still lived in my old London house.
But down here in the west country, really enjoy that outing and gives my car a run out.

I have been getting my shopping delivered being lucky enough to get shopping slots when I needed them so have not gone short of anything.
When I decide to go out again I shall use a mask/gloves after seeing how stupid some people are with their social distancing I am not going to take the chance, on our local facebook page people have been congregating on the promenade far too close together over this past weekend even if using a mask gives any extra safety or not I am not taking the chance.

I think I have it now.
The first time was the most difficult.

The biggest problem I found was that browsing is difficult. The aisles aren’t wide enough to give 2 metres space between people so the downside is that one holds up the traffic.

Now I go later in the day, they may be out of some items but generally have enough and it’s more relaxed.
I haven’t worn a mask because I really don’t think I’m CV positive but if it makes you feel safer then do so. I put a glove on after I’ve sanitised the trolley. Tescos supply that.
I take the glove off to load the bags into the car, no one else has touched by bags.

Until everyone wears a mask I'm not setting foot inside a supermarket. No one knows if they're presymptomatic.