am i seriously going to wait 2 weeks after my package arrives to even touch it

[faespirit]

I won an auction off ebay for a pony I've always always wanted but with this virus $#%* I heard that I might have to wait for awhile until I can even open the package once its arrived as the virus can last on surfaces?? idk like I get that my safety is more important its just that I'm not even patient 

[Sugarberry]

The choice is yours, but when we have mail arrive here, the outer envelopes and boxes don’t even make it in the house right now.  They are stripped off outside or in the garage for larger things.  The ponies or items that arrive here are put where they can be enjoyed, but aren’t handled for at least one week. Hands are washed after mail sorting... but we have family members here that are 88 and 89 .

[Ponybookworm]

You could always wear rubber gloves when unwrapping a Pony, then while still in the gloves, clean the Pony (& the gloves) with any soap or dish liquid & warm or hot water. The Pony won't mind being cleaned nicely, & it will save your sanity too

[kingluke]

Wait, there's a risk of getting the virus by opening packages?
I've opened 4 packages, varying from Australia to Germany and i got nothing, not a symptom in sight.

Are you sure it's not a myth? I'd really like to say this either confirmed or denied if anybody has the info.

Edit: This might help.

https://www.hackensackmeridianhealth.org/HealthU/2020/03/26/can-you-get-coronavirus-from-packages-and-mail/

[Broken Irishwoman]

Do what you think is best for you by all means, but I'm definitely not doing this. I've had some packages from all over the world, but I'm simply not afraid of it.

[banditpony]

I thought the virus stays on cardboard for 4 days.

I give it at least a day to sit in the basement or garage, usually more because I have no sense of urgency. I'm careful how I bring anything into the house (Usually I have 1 dirty hand, and 1 clean hand to open doors) or ask someone to open doors for me-- if I'm putting it into the basement.

When I open the outer packaging, I will wash my hands throughly afterwards-- and I do not touch the inner contents until I washed my hands. And really the contents inside should be fine because they spent all that time in transit.

Do what you think is best for you by all means, but I'm definitely not doing this. I've had some packages from all over the world, but I'm simply not afraid of it.

I don't think where the package comes from is any kind of issue, but more so the person directly handling it when it's delivered. It's in best practice for people to wash their hands during this pandemic.

[Ribbs]

Honestly, I just wipe down all parcels with lysol and use gloves, and wash the ponies thoroughly as soon as they arrive. I leave any reusable packaging on my porch and trash the rest. Yes, maybe this isn't the safest way... I just know I couldn't NOT immediately rip open the package. Always wash your hands after getting the mail! (Gloves or not)

[lovesbabysquirmy]

wash hands after, don't touch your face while opening!  you can use gloves but you don't have to.
discard packaging immediately - if you need to save it, put it in your garage or something.

[Leave a Whisper]

I took a page from Taffeta's book,  gave mine a thorough cleaning and put them in a plastic bag for 4-5 days after they dried.

[HollowZero]

I bring in packages, open them, toss out the packaging. Wash my hands, clean the table.

It's a virus. It can't walk. It will only take residence in your body if you touch a surface then touch your nose, your eyes, or your mouth.

[SpacePinto]

When my new ponies arrived from America some time ago I didn't clean or disinfect them, but then again it took them a few weeks to get here, so whatever viruses they may have potentially brought from across the pond had been long dead by the time I opened the package (which I discarded and washed my hands afterwards)

[SaraMari]

Covid19 only lives on plastic 2-3 days and cardboard 24 hours so you certainly don't need to wait 2 weeks
https://www.webmd.com/lung/how-long-covid-19-lives-on-surfaces

Yes and do wash your hands after

No need to be "afraid" (like brought up above) but caution is good. I leave my packages a few days, by the door or in the garage before opening up

[FiddlePhan]

In humans we can be contagious for weeks but on surfaces typically the longest is 6 or 7 days for plastic and metal.  There were a few cases on one of the Princess cruise ships where the virus was found in staterooms 14 days later but that was a strange situation all around.   It hasn't so far been replicated in labs.

What I have done is put on rubber gloves to take the package and get ride of the packing and trash it immediately.   Then if the item can be wiped down with sanitizing wipes I do that keeping one clean gloved hand and the other for handing the not clean pony.   Or give the item a wash with warm soapy water (if that's safe for the item) and give it a scrub.  The virus has a thin fatty layer so soapy water destroys that layer and then the virus cannot survive long after.   

Then I put clean pony/item aside and then while the rubber gloves are still on wash them with very hot soapy water and scrub away and then slip them off to dry.     I have two high risk people in my home so I definitely take things seriously.   

[WaterDraw]

Whenever we have gotten packages in the mail, we've always wiped it down with wet wipes and used anti-bacterial spray on the cardboard boxes in the garage. After that we throw the boxes away. Then, when we move the products inside, we do the same process of a wipe down with wipes and spray with the spray and let it sit for a while.
Wearing gloves is a good idea, just in case you do get it on your hands and forget to wash them. But generally, washing your hands a lot is very useful! And like other people have stated, the virus only stays on cardboard for a couple days, not 2 weeks. I'm not sure about ponies though... 

I hope this helps, at the very least this is the basics you can to do prevent any spread hopefully. Best wishes with your new pony 

[Taffeta]

From a house with someone who's shielding...

We wipe down boxes and packages.
If they need to be opened immediately (ie plants) it happens outside.
Contents of all packages (not food obviously) gets wiped down.
Boxes are dismantled and put for the council recycling team to collect.
Carrier bags are bagged and put for the council to collect.

Any loose ponies/items within a package get the antibac bath of doom.  (Much of the above also applies to weekly food deliveries).

We also have a quarantine table in the hall for letters that are non-urgent where they can be left for 72 hours before being opened.

In all cases hands are washed afterwards. This is irrespective of whether an item has been left or wiped or both. I also have a quarantine box in my room for any small package of mine that can sit it out. One has actually been in it for three weeks because till I saw this post I forgot about it...xD.

...In short, everyone has a different way to deal with this, but since our home is identified by the govt as high risk, we don't take any unnecessary chances.  There have been cases among delivery drivers and in sorting offices. We take the attitude that the guy who just delivered the item may have coughed on it accidentally in the 10 mins before it arrived.

It's really low risk compared to other methods but if you have say a plastic outer packaging, it's higher risk than a cardboard box. And if your item has been in transit for a fortnight what is inside is probably fine, but the outer packaging may not be.