A message from the Times Colonist Circulation Director
In recent days we have had several calls and emails expressing concern that copies of the Times Colonist might be contaminated with the COVID-19 virus.
To date, we are aware of no recorded instances of transmission of the coronavirus, anywhere, through printed surfaces such as newspapers, letters and print packages.
It pays, however, to be as cautious as possible. As a result, we have implemented new distribution rules for our carriers to further reduce the possibility of transmission, and to help keep them safe.
Both the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control have released statements about packaged goods, stating that transmission is extremely unlikely.
Also, in a March 10 interview on BBC Radio Scotland, virologist George Lomonossoff, who uses molecular biology to understand the assembly and properties of viruses in the United Kingdom, debunked the idea of transmission through newsprint.
“Newspapers are pretty sterile because of the way they are printed and the process they’ve been through. Traditionally, people have eaten fish and chips out of them for that very reason.
“So all of the ink and the print makes them actually quite sterile,” he said, adding that the chances of newsprint carrying the disease are infinitesimal.
Newspapers have been declared an essential service in B.C.
Many of you rely on us in both print and online as your main source of information day-to-day, and we are working hard to ensure that you continue to receive the information you require to stay up-to-date and safe through these unprecedented times.
The Times Colonist will continue to watch for reports of contamination through newsprint, everywhere in the world, and take immediate action if risks are discovered.
In the meantime, it would not hurt to be cautious. So remember the rule about washing your hands; after you read this newspaper, wash your hands with soap for 20 seconds.
