Are we all living this way or have I gone mad?!

[stardrops007]

Okay, so I'm not sure if I've just lost touch with normality here or if actually I'm living the "new normal"

Today was the first time in months that I met indoors with a friend (I know )

It was in the centre so I had to pay for parking, I found myself using a wipe to touch the parking meter.
Before entering the restaurant I sanitised my hands, once in the restaurant I sanitised my hands as I'd touched the chair before sitting down and became aware of possible contamination!

We then ordered a drink and I found myself sanitising again as I'd touched the glass.

We were there for two hours and I just couldn't stop sanitising.

I've come home and taken off all my clothes to wash them straight away.

My friend only sanitised before eating, but I noticed she'd touched the chair and other surfaces a lot!!!

Am I being OTT? Or is my friend quite relaxed?

I have diagnosed OCD and I'm having to make a real conscious effort to not do what you describe in your OP. It would be a very slippery slope.
I'd say you're being OTT.

Hand hygiene is obviously important but sanitising after touching a chair, picking up a clean glass... is too much.

Taking your own knife and fork is nuts.
It seems you've reacted very strongly to the pandemic and I'd watch to make sure it doesn't turn into an obsession.

Yes after parking meters, chip and pin buttons, door handles and before eating. Other than that I avoid touching my face. At work however(primary school) I’m sanitising all day before and after opening drinks bottles and tying laces.

We were being advised to take our own cutlery to peoples houses though?

As someone who suffers from OCD, this sounds very much like the beginnings of it. In all honesty, you will drive yourself batty if you start to believe that Covid "particles" or whatever are in the air, on every surface; out to contaminate and destroy. Statistically, your chances of becoming mortally Ill even if you catch the V are very low; but living in such a state of high anxiety will do nothing for your health or peace of mind. Be sensible, of course, but it does sound extreme to me, and honestly, OCD can develop over time. It is an anxiety disorder, a desire to feel control when in a state of seeming powerlessness. But it really is all just a trick of the mind. There is nothing wrong with stepping up your hygiene and being careful, but don't end up existing in a miserable, fraught state. Honestly, it wont do you any good at all.

@ClarencesMum

We were being advised to take our own cutlery to peoples houses though?

What?

I'm seeing my brother and family on Saturday at my house. I've not seen anyone inside since March! I don't sanitise as much, though.

In schools, the risk is not from touching surfaces, it's from all the other bodies breathing in and out in close proximity!

It's the affect of this on kids that is really worrying. I mean all these super hygiene measures can't really be working as DS brought home a cold a few days after going back to school. He's struggling as all Lego which he loves is locked away and all they do is sit at their desks except for breaks and lunch. I can't understand the problem with toys when the science is saying it's airborne where the bigger risk is and not surfaces. To stop kids from playing with toys is cruel.

@Idontbelieveit12

Apparently hand sanitiser loses its effectiveness after 4 uses in a row. It’s winding me up that if I go to a shopping centre every single shop expects us to sanitise our hands.

Yeah but unless there's a person standing there forcing it onto you, you don't have to do it. It's not mandatory. If it's there on a desk I just walk past.

Can I also recommend that you get a contactless door opener?
Put one on your keys and you can press buttons/open doors with it so you don't need to use your hands as much.

I've found that mine has helped me relax a lot. No hands on door handles/parking machines/lift buttons...

@ClarencesMum

We were being advised to take our own cutlery to peoples houses though?

And plates, food and drinks because we were to stay 2m away from them and not share

Restaurants have always been treated differently.

I've understood as time went on that this is an airborne disease transmitted when people are in close proximity over a period of time. People aren't catching from menus or petrol pumps. So I don't mingle indoors with others. Only met people outside for food etc I don't panic wash the shopping anymore. But I'm still not happy about mixing indoors so I fear my life will change as the weather gets colder.

Yeah it might have been before restaurants were open. I can't remember but I distinctly remember Jason Leitch saying to take your own items to people's houses.

I took my own wine glass to a friends garden.

He also said washing shopping was good practice and regularly sanitizing hard surfaces in your home.

That’s OTT. I had Covid and a very uneventful recovery so have no personal fear. But I hand wash often as I always have practised that and I’d hate to transfer it to someone vulnerable. I really hate those sticky hand sanitizers.

@Bellebelle..Great post. Love the term "hygiene theatre" So very true.

I never ever use hand sanitiser. Horrible stuff. The only time I use it is if a shop makes me on entering

What i do instead is wash my hands thoroughly every time I come back in from being outside. I don't touch my face when out and about.

It's completely OTT to sanitise your hands after picking up a glass

BooseysMom
Hope tomorrow's a better one

I’d be more concerned about you wearing your mask and not handling it correctly than touching a chair and hand sanitising afterwards.

It’s your first time out, so no, your not being OTT. However, you may find you relax a bit the more you do it. Not completely of course, but just a bit. Then you’ll find your stride.

You sound a bit ott...but I've not been inside a restaurant yet and no plans too. The way things are going...use Ringo or whatever app parking thing is available...i would have cleaned hands before eating and probably after...and on leaving the restaurant..
I assume the restaurant are cleaning cutlery and places
Mitigation

Sorry post too soon....mitigation is all you can do....

@Winederlust the link you posted is about bacteria developing resistance to antibacterial gel if it is overused long-term . It doesn't demonstrate that adults and immune systems systems won't work if they use antibacterial gel for a few months during this pandemic. Definitely hand washing is better but if it's not available and gel is used it will not mean that that person will be more vulnerable to colds and viruses.

@stayathomer

BooseysMom
Hope tomorrow's a better one

Thank you, yes I have calmed down now since I have had cake! There was no one coughing on the food in the supermarket but it was pretty busy with not much s/d going on. Also no queuing any more.