Grocery stores empty? It's still safe to shop online

Long lines at the grocery store could mean more of us are shopping online for our groceries and sanitary supplies.

Many people are wondering if the coronavirus can live on food or the bags our groceries are carried in.

RELATED: Shoppers find long lines and empty shelves amid coronavirus outbreak

It's not just the long lines at the stores, but in an effort to avoid large crowds or other people prepping our food, we are staying in.

But you have to get your groceries from somewhere, right? What we know is, if you buy them in the store or have them delivered, the most effective way to protect your family is to wash your hands and wash all of your produce.

Depending on the conditions, the coronavirus can live on surfaces for hours and sometimes days.

"They're looking at that right now. A lot of the data that we know about full-mites, that's the viral particles when they live on inanimate surfaces, come from other human coronaviruses, and the range is massive. It goes from hours, to all the way up to nine days, depending on humidity, temperature, and what surface it is," ABC News doctor Jennifer Ashton said. "How porous that surface is... new data just out in the last day or so suggests it's a couple hours to a couple of days, depending on the surface. So, bottom line, because we're still figuring that out in the lab setting. Wash your hands, wash your hands and wash your hands."

As of now, the World Health Organization says there is no evidence of COVID-19 transmitting through food.

It's the crowds and the spread from person-to-person that are the biggest concerns while grocery shopping.

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