Question - Cargo from China

Assuming the contents are sealed, and have been since they were manufactured, maybe open the package outside the house using gloves, and dispose of all the wrapping and the gloves before bringing the item in. If whatever you’re buying is water resistant, you could always spray that with Lysol outside too.
The worrying thing is when the packages from China stop. Ever noticed how many retailers (Walmart in particular) rely almost solely on Chinese goods? It’s been said that their warehouses are container ships out on the ocean heading our way. That could herald the beginning of shortages, especially given how many of the quarantined cities are major manufacturing hubs.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.wsj.com/amp/articles/china-holds-back-some-ships-from-calling-at-wuhan-11579798701

This doctor explains the virus particles are protected within a envelope/shell allowing it to live on surfaces for five or more days. Others mentioned up to ten days.
https://youtu.be/QA5AbqlCHuc

Sunlight is an excellent sterilizer. I intend on laying our post out in full sun for a few hours.

Interesting. I was only thinking about it in relation to sterilizing post. I have assumed that we'll just stay at home and won't go out so we won't be wearing masks since we live on a farm with no neighbours. Obviously we'd wear a mask if we did go out.

Surely you could rotate your masks and just not wear it again for a month or so and by then the virus would have died on it? I'd have thought any dry, very warm environment would kill a virus. They need warmth and moisture to survive don't they?

Rince it in strong vinegar first. Then hang on the line. Viruses hate acids.

Folks, EVERYTHING comes from China!!

Calm down....we are awash in corona viruses all the time, they are the leading cause of the "common cold."   

This is a relatively weak virus with low mortality rate (SARS was much worse). If we take simple precautions, we are safe from domestic and imported Cornoa viruses.

a) wash your hands after using public restrooms, and open the door with a clean paper towel (not everyone washes their hands, leaving poo & pee all over the place).

b) wash your hands before touching your eyes and nose. Coronas can infect through the eyes, not only the nose/mouth route.

c) use hand sanitizer when in doubt.....unlike some viruses like Norovirus, the Corona is pretty fragile and easily killed.

d) don't eat stuff like this:

Chinese scientists say the latest coronavirus outbreak appears to have spread from the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in the central city of Wuhan.

Despite its name, the market was selling a huge variety of wild animals for consumption, including live cats and dogs, turtles, snakes, rats, hedgehogs and marmots. Menus and signboards posted online showed a huge variety of wild animals available to eat, including foxes, wolf cubs, monkeys and masked palm civets.

Viruses often quickly evolve better spreading ability, this is usually accompanied by a drop in CFR.

Watch this space.

Latest news is that it is spreading faster killing better.....

All - thanks for all the great information. But, I wasn’t so concerned about “me handling packages “ at home...from China..in that I would take precaution (handwashing, etc). My concern was for all those people working in the receiving of the cargo/mail - factories, postal/shipping companies...and what if anything was being done to prevent the virus from entering the country and spreading? We are monitoring people for fever coming through the airports. Is it even possible to detect or monitor viruses coming into the country on cargo?   I wouldn’t want to be the person unloading, unboxing a fedx plane, UPS truck or cargo shipment from China.