Is Bricklink buying safe during peak coronavirus?
A viewer today asked for my thoughts about a potential LEGO fan safety issue in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. They have a friend who is abstaining from making part orders on the popular Bricklink marketplace out of fear of contamination, and wanted to know if I felt this was an overreaction. Below was my response:
"I think everyone has a right to be as safe as they feel they need to. There's no single right answer. The fact is, no matter what we do, the majority of people on the planet are going to contract this illness, it's just a matter of when. Even if every country completely "flattens the curve" we're not going to exterminate this virus from existence, we're just slowing its spread so healthcare systems can keep up, while also trying our best to not transmit the darn thing to particularly vulnerable fellow humans that we or others care about.With respect to Bricklink orders, based solely upon what I've read to date from the scientific community, in the worst case scenario if the sender has the virus and is contagious, viral RNA (which alone is essentially inert) can remain detectable on plastics for up to three days, but whole viruses are certain to have become nonviable more quickly than that. Even if a contagious Bricklink seller coughed & sneezed directly into the package right before closing it up, unless it's sent via Express mail the chances of the recipient getting infected are probably infinitesimally low.I think your biggest risk is if the mail carrier is infected and happens to cough directly onto the package right before dropping it off. Still slim chances. If worried, open the package, dump the contents out, discard the package, then wash hands, exercising normal good hygiene practices along the way. I think this can all be done very safely.All that said, again, I think your friend has every right to choose to hold off for the time being, if that's what feels most comfortable to them. Managing mental health and a psychological sense of safety is important especially when there are other stressors about."What's your take on the situation? Are you avoiding LEGO purchases and "non-essential" package shipments right now?
"I think everyone has a right to be as safe as they feel they need to. There's no single right answer. The fact is, no matter what we do, the majority of people on the planet are going to contract this illness, it's just a matter of when. Even if every country completely "flattens the curve" we're not going to exterminate this virus from existence, we're just slowing its spread so healthcare systems can keep up, while also trying our best to not transmit the darn thing to particularly vulnerable fellow humans that we or others care about.With respect to Bricklink orders, based solely upon what I've read to date from the scientific community, in the worst case scenario if the sender has the virus and is contagious, viral RNA (which alone is essentially inert) can remain detectable on plastics for up to three days, but whole viruses are certain to have become nonviable more quickly than that. Even if a contagious Bricklink seller coughed & sneezed directly into the package right before closing it up, unless it's sent via Express mail the chances of the recipient getting infected are probably infinitesimally low.I think your biggest risk is if the mail carrier is infected and happens to cough directly onto the package right before dropping it off. Still slim chances. If worried, open the package, dump the contents out, discard the package, then wash hands, exercising normal good hygiene practices along the way. I think this can all be done very safely.All that said, again, I think your friend has every right to choose to hold off for the time being, if that's what feels most comfortable to them. Managing mental health and a psychological sense of safety is important especially when there are other stressors about."What's your take on the situation? Are you avoiding LEGO purchases and "non-essential" package shipments right now?
Original author: theJANG
