The coronavirus outbreak is temporarily changing our lives. Drastic measures are being taken to slow down the spread of the rapidly spreading deadly virus. So, if you are starting to experience changes in your life, you may already be making adjustments to the new lifestyle, such as the way you shop for essentials.
If kratom is a part of your daily life, you may be wondering how COVID-19 may affect your access to the herb.
What Is Kratom?
Kratom is a tall tropical Southeast Asian tree. Its leaves are rich in nearly 40 beneficial compounds, 25 of which are alkaloids. Due to the properties of these alkaloids, kratom has been used for medicinal properties for thousands of years.
In the past decades, kratom has gained increasing popularity in the west, especially in the United States. Millions of people are using kratom to relieve pain, reduce stress and anxiety, improve the mood, as well as boost energy and productivity.
During a difficult time, such as the coronavirus outbreak, kratom can be extremely beneficial. Let’s take a look at what adjustments you may need to make if you buy kratom during the coronavirus outbreak.
Kratom Buying Tips during the Coronavirus Outbreak
1. Buy Kratom Online
A number of European countries such as Italy and Spain have already one on lockdown, which has caused most physical businesses to close. So, if you have been buying kratom locally, it’s a good time to start looking for an online vendor. This way, you’ll be able to get kratom even if you need to remain indoors.
By ordering online and having kratom delivered to your home, your risk is relatively low. You can even avoid human contact altogether by having your package left where instructed. Several kratom vendors understand the unfortunate stigma associated with kratom and ship their products in discrete packaging.
Since there are numerous vendors out there, consider getting kratom samples before you place a larger order. Some kratom vendors offer samples and ask buyers to cover shipping costs only. Others offer starter packs for a small price.
By trying kratom samples, you will be able to test the quality of their products as well as service.
2. Treat Your Package as If It Was Contaminated
The kratom that you order is unlikely to be contaminated. There are relatively few coronavirus cases in Indonesia, the main kratom producer in the world, and there are no reports of it having affected the kratom industry. However, this may change in the future.
Nonetheless, COVID-19 virus is not likely to survive in the time it requires for it to be shipped from Indonesia and then to your house.
You should, however, be cautious with the packaging itself. It is not excluded that an infected person has handled the packaging, for instance, during the transportation period.
Current studies report that coronavirus can survive for up to 24 hours on cardboard and up to three days or longer on hard surfaces such as plastic or metal. Studies on other coronavirus species revealed that the virus can survive on surfaces for as long as nine days in optimal conditions.
Therefore, you can place the package aside for some time, for instance, for a minimum of nine days to be on the safe side. Make sure that it’s a place where kids or animals cannot reach the packaging. Make sure to inform your family members that the package should not be touched.
Alternatively, you can disinfect and throw out the packaging to avoid possible infection. You may want to use a mask and gloves while you handle it to prevent the virus from spreading through the air.
3. Wash Your Hands
Once you have handled your package, don’t forget to wash your hands or use a hand sanitizer. Health specialists recommend washing hands with soap for a minimum of 20 seconds. Alternatively, you can use a hand sanitizer that has at least 60% alcohol content.
If you have touched any surfaces before you washed your hands, be sure to disinfect those, as well.
4. Use Contactless Cards
During the peak of the outbreak, China disinfected and destroyed a large amount of contaminated money in efforts to curb infections. As mentioned before, the COVID-19 virus can persist on surfaces. Therefore, it can also survive on money and be easily passed on.
As a result, the WHO advised using contactless payment cards that allow their users to perform payments simply by approaching their card to the terminal.
So, if you still buy kratom locally, opt for contactless payments to reduce the risk of infection.
5. Stock up on Kratom
It is impossible to foresee how long or severe the outbreak and, subsequently, the lockdown may be. Some scientists estimate that it could be as long as 12 to 18 months. We also do not know how severe the situation may get in Indonesia and how that may affect kratom farmers and shipments to the US.
So, if you take kratom regularly, you may want to stock up on your favorite herb to ensure that you don’t go through periods when you may not get access to it.
Make sure to purchase kratom from vendors who import fresh and potent kratom directly from Indonesia as it will remain fresh and last much longer. Then, properly store it in airtight containers. If you do it properly, kratom should last you for a year or even longer.
Finally, make sure to remain indoors and practice social distancing. Together, we’ll be able to overcome this challenging time.
Layla Nash is a fitness instructor, nutritionist, and former gymnast passionate about healthy lifestyle and alternative healing methods. During her career as a gymnast, she suffered several injuries which lead her to discovering kratom. Ever since, she became enthusiastic about the herb and aims to inform people about its beneficial effects through her website Speciosa Guide.
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