Are bubbles a covid risk?

[Beseigedbykillersquirrels]

It's been beautiful here today so we took the DC down to the riverbank for a picnic. DD (2) wanted to take her bubbles and she was blowing them on and off for quite a bit of the two and a half hours we were there. It was busy enough but not packed; there was, at a guess, about 20 other families, all well spread out. Towards the end of the afternoon, a man was walking by and then approached us and said (well, more like shouted) that we shouldn't be blowing covid bubbles all over the place and that one popped near his face so he has now been exposed and will have to take the day off work until he can have a test.
I am fully prepared to be told IWBU - it honestly didn't occur to me that my child blowing bubbles could be a covid risk but I am aware that this man thought it was. Was I being unreasonable in allowing my DC to blow bubbles at the riverbank this afternoon?

They're made of soap, so I wouldn't think so? The man sounds unhinged.

I’d have laughed at him. How utterly ridiculous. Sounds like he just wants time off work

He sounds like either he might have MH issues or he just wanted an excuse to tell someone off.

He sounds ridiculous, ignore

isn't the whole idea of wearing masks to stop droplet/aerosol infection? And what are bubbles full of? He's being over dramatic but he's not entirely wrong, is he?

also bubbles are bad for the environment.

He sounds like either he might have MH issues or he just wanted an excuse to tell someone off.

Can we stop conflating mental health issues with being a dick? It's really ignorant.

@Orf1abc

He sounds like either he might have MH issues or he just wanted an excuse to tell someone off.

Can we stop conflating mental health issues with being a dick? It's really ignorant.

Exactly what I was about to say!

@Orf1abc

He sounds like either he might have MH issues or he just wanted an excuse to tell someone off.

Can we stop conflating mental health issues with being a dick? It's really ignorant.

I’m sorry I didn’t mean to cause offence.

Can we stop conflating mental health issues with being a dick? It's really ignorant
Maybe he has health anxiety around covid? That’s a mental health issue

He very dimly over reacted regarding taking time off work. But it wasn’t the best thing; to be blowing bubbles around people at the moment. I’d save bubbles for your back garden if you have one.

Clearly! Not dimly!

Although I think his reaction is extreme, he does have a point. Your child was blowing aerosols out of her mouth, so was she contagious, she’d be spreading the virus.

I don't blow bubbles at work (with young children) and have bought a battery operated one instead. I wouldn't be bothered outside providing the other person wasn't right up close as particles spread more in the breeze.

YANBU. Imagine catching covid from a soap bubble outdoors. Don't give him another thought OP.

I've not been allowing dc to blow bubbles at work and have not been blowing them myself. I wave the wand to create them instead. I'm sure any risk is small or non existent but somehow doesn't feel right blowing on things just now lol.

Thank you all for your replies. I'm slightly mortified that I hadn't even considered the risk to be honest. I guess I thought it was no different from blowing them in our garden, which we have had to do every sodding day lately! 😬
I did think this chap was a bit rude but to be fair, if he's worried about catching covid or missing work now due to having to take a test then I completely accept I was being unreasonable and will confine the bubbles to indoors only from now on. Thanks all!

The bloke was ridiculous. He didn't need to take a test and there is no option for this situation on the booking form either so he'd have to lie. Waving the wand around is just as, if not more effective anyway especially if there is a bit of a breeze so no need to stop with the bubbles

Surely it's common sense not to be blowing fucking bubbles when there is a droplet borne virus pandemic.

World gone mad.

Meh it's low risk but he's obviously very worried and as you say OP, you hadn't thought about it.

Maybe nix the bubble blowing in public spaces on the head until pandemic has passed.
Even just for the sake that it upsets some people

If you were blowing bubbles in the park with your child, I'd have steered clear- thinking it wasn't the wisest of things to be seen doing in public spaces so what else would you have not thought about?

I wouldn't get upset about it like the man did nor like you have felt, but I kinda get his paranoia given the rotten year we have all had to lockdown and prevent any risk of spreading it - whether real or not

(I meant whether blowing bubbles is a real Covid risk or not) (of course Covid is a real risk)

@nothingcanhurtmewithmyeyesshut

Surely it's common sense not to be blowing fucking bubbles when there is a droplet borne virus pandemic.

Do you not breathe outside then?

This has cheered me right up.

I saw the bubble man making his way to our local park yesterday. Made me happy to see him.

I really hope this is a joke?

If not, madness reigns.