Here’s how to stay safe while pumping gas during the coronavirus pandemic

Whether you’re taking trips to the grocery store or scenic drives just to get out of the house, you may find your gas gauge inching toward empty.

Filling up may sound enticing — the coronavirus pandemic has sent gas prices plummeting — but many are concerned about contracting the virus while gassing up their vehicles.

Experts say all it takes to safe is a little diligence.

Is it safe to get gas?

People can pick up the virus from gas pumps, but they aren’t any more dangerous than other surfaces that are regularly touched by humans, the Globe and Mail reported.

“Those surfaces are like any surfaces – they’re potential sources of infection,” David Evans, a virologist and professor of medical microbiology and immunology at the University of Alberta, told the outlet

One study has found that the virus can live on steel and plastic for up to 72 hours.

If someone were to cough on their hand then touch the pump or payment keypad it could leave the virus behind, making the next person more susceptible, the Globe reported.

That’s why experts suggest taking extra precautions when heading to the pump.

How to safely pump gas during the pandemic

Choose off-peak hours

Avoid going to the gas station during busy times of day, CNBC reported.

Search your preferred gas station on Google Maps for a graph showing when the station is busiest.

Wipe down the pump

If you have disinfectant wipes handy, use them to wipe down the pump and the credit card keypad before getting started, according to Consumer Reports.

Cover your hands

When getting gas, use disposable gloves to grab the pump handle, the outlet reported. If you don’t have any handy, try using paper towels that are often available at the pump.

If those aren’t available, search your car for anything to use -- napkins are great -- as a barrier between your hand and the pump, Auto Trader reported.

Be sure to keep your hands covered when pressing buttons on the credit card keypad, according to Consumer reports.

When you’re done, invert the gloves and throw them away along with your paper towels and anything else you’ve used as a barrier.

Clean your hands, but avoid the gas station bathrooms

Going into the gas station to wash your hands means you could potentially touch door knobs and come in close contact with other people.

Instead, use hand sanitizer to disinfect your hands after pumping gas and before you get in the car, Auto Trader reported. Be sure to wash your hands as soon as you get home.

If you don’t have hand sanitizer handy, disinfect all the places you touched in your vehicle when you get home, according to the outlet. Same goes for the credit card you used at the pump.

“You cannot get infected if your hands are clean before you touch your face, and if you don’t breathe in air from somebody who’s sick and coughing,” Greg Poland, professor of medicine and infectious diseases at the Mayo Clinic, told CNBC. “So as long as those two conditions exist you cannot catch this virus.”

Try full-service gas stations

Some gas stations have turned to full-service fueling to help customers avoid potential contact with the coronavirus.

Gas stations in states including Alabama, California, Florida and Kentucky have implemented full-service experiences along with Hy-Vee which announced it would be offering the service for free at all its locations.

Try searching for full-service gas stations in your area.

This story was originally published April 14, 2020 at 1:41 PM with the headline "Here’s how to stay safe while pumping gas during the coronavirus pandemic."