Leave delivery parcels for 72 hours before opening them to reduce the risk of catching coronavirus, Britons are warned

Packages should be left for 72 hours before opening them to reduce the risk of infection from coronavirus, the British public have been warned.

The advice comes from a website that has proven successful in reducing infection transmission for seasonal and swine flu which has been adapted.

Other suggestions include regularly disinfecting surfaces in the home, and instilling better hygiene measures between household measures. 

Researchers from Bath, Bristol and Southampton Universities hope the repurposed Germ Defence website will help change people's behaviours and cut infections.  

Packages should be left for 72 hours before opening them to reduce the risk of infection from coronavirus, the British public have been warned (pictured, Covid-era delivery)

The site draws on behaviour change techniques to provide a plan for users to reduce their exposure of Covid-19 and viral load within the home.

This is particularly important to reduce infection when one member of a household has left and returned again, the researchers say. 

Dr Ben Ainsworth, from the department of psychology at the University of Bath, said: 'We know that Covid-19 is caught in the same way as other viruses.

'Germ Defence provides advice on how you can protect yourself using the same methods that have worked for other viruses.

'It only takes around 10 minutes to go through the information - but it could help protect you from coronavirus, as well as offer you a lifetime of fewer colds and flu.

Researchers from Bath, Bristol and Southampton Universities hope the repurposed Germ Defence website will help change people's behaviours and cut infections (file photo)

The team behind Germ Defence are working closely with Public Health England, and the website is being translated into more than 20 languages (pictured, Covid-era delivery)

'It may take a bit of practice for you and your family to use the ideas on Germ Defence. But once you have learnt them, they will become habits that you'll do easily which will protect you from becoming ill.'

A previous study of 20,000 people found users of Germ Defence were less likely to catch flu or other viruses, and otherwise suffered shorter illnesses.

The team behind Germ Defence are working closely with Public Health England, and the website is being translated into more than 20 languages.

Their study published in the BMJ last week argued that since most people with Covid-19 are cared for at home, it is important to limit the amount of virus they come into contact with by reducing viral load.

Paul Little, professor of primary care research at the University of Southampton, said: 'We developed and trialled Germ Defence so that it could be widely disseminated both during normal winter months and also during a major pandemic.

'We showed clear reductions in both transmission of infections to other family members and also in transmission from other family members.

'It should help reduce both the number of family members who become ill with Covid-19, and also reduce the severity of illness if family members do become ill.'

The website can be found at http://germdefence.org/.