Shoes off, covid!

[NouvelleMamanNouvelleVie]

I know there are a lot of threads about shoes off in the house. People can do what they want in their own houses but I personally have shoes off and 95% of people who come here take their shoes off.

Anyhow a chap came today for a brief professional visit, me as the client. My children are playing on the floor, one being a small baby.

Hello, thanks for coming, do come in. Please could you take your shoes off? I said.

I can't. Because of covid, he said.

What does this mean? Can anyone explain this from a clinical point of view?

Well I had a different professional over last week who was rude to me (Not about his shoes) and when I left I wish I'd grown a pair, so today I did grow a pair and I said very politely,

I'm sorry but I have children playing on the floor. (He was planning to walk into every room in the house)

So he said he'd go back to the car and get shoe covers, I said thanks very much.

A bit of faffing at the door and he decided the car was too far and he just took his shoes off.

My point is, how are his outdoor shoes protecting me from covid? They might protect him a bit, but not me. What have I missed?

Thanks!

Ugh I don't want anyone's sweaty socks/feet wandering all over my house! Shoes on or covers for tradesmen if they are particularly muddy.

I never wear shoes or socks at home, I'm always barefoot.

@BarbaraofSeville

The risk of covid transmission due to taking shoes off is probably so small it's immeasurable. Certainly far lower than the risk of slipping on carpetted stairs while wearing shoe covers....

Why would someone slip on carpetted stairs? The proper plastic shoe covers are non slip. It's not as if they're walking around in carrier bags or food bags.

It’s probably just a policy the company introduced to show they are doing all they can to protect employees. There probably isn’t any Science behind in it because it’s the company senior management making the decisions and not a team of scientists. Odd that he didn’t challenge you and just took his shoes off anyway.

Bloody Hell, shoe covers? It’s all a bit Hyacinth Bouquet isn’t it?

"Because of covid" seems to have become the excuse du jour for lazy people who basically can't be arsed or don't want to!

He was being ridiculous.

We are always barefoot at home, but wouldn’t dream of asking a visitor to my home (of any description) to remove their shoes. Exposure to a bit of grub is good for dc anyway - especially this year when they’ve been shut away and everyone has been dettoling like mad

Not all microbes and bacteria are beneficial to kids! Surely they get plenty of exposure playing in the garden or in the park?

I expect all visitors to remove their shoes, we have guest slippers or shoe covers if they want. Imagine if someone trod fox poo into your carpet!

Shoes off means longer inside the house, particularly if wearing boots. I imagine that’s the reason. But you should never expect professionals to take off their shoes. As others has said it’s more dangerous and makes it harder for them to leave in a a hurry if needed. Not fo mention the stinky feet reason!

@FelicityBeedle

Shoes off means longer inside the house, particularly if wearing boots. I imagine that’s the reason. But you should never expect professionals to take off their shoes. As others has said it’s more dangerous and makes it harder for them to leave in a a hurry if needed. Not fo mention the stinky feet reason!

Hence the alternative of shoe covers!

@Hopdathelf

This was a man, and I am a woman alone in the house with children.

How was he to know that? Anyone could also be there. Anyone could come home?

He might have to lean or sit to put shoes back on which would require him touching items of furniture.

If you feel so strongly about it, buy some shoe covers.

This was responding to the poster who said she had to keep her shoes on for visits in case things got violent. I mean that this was a man who was visiting, and yes they knew in advance that I am a woman and was alone with the children.

@chesirecat99

What does this mean? Can anyone explain this from a clinical point of view?

I'm fairly sure that there is no guidance on keeping your shoes on and that, although there was a study in Wuhan that suggested COVID might be spread on the soles of shoes, other studies have suggested there is no risk.

On the other hand, respiratory droplets do all fall to the floor, so there could be viable virus on the floor. Socks would be a slightly higher risk for fomite transmission than the soles of the shoes as they are rough and absorbent not smooth so "stickier", walking around in the shoes would probably wipe off any virus whereas it would stay within the shoe if it were on the sock, and you don't usually touch the sole of the shoe when you take them off and are more likely to touch the foot of the sock. It's a negligible risk, probably even zero, but I can see the logic why someone might have come up with that as a health and safety rule last year when we knew very little about transmission.

Thank you, this answers my question perfectly :-)

Yes, but he's not in the habit of lying on the pavement.

Whoops, that response was to @EmergencyHydrangea

@Lemonmelonsun

I would also never dream of asking trades people or visitors to take their shoes off.

We live to tell the tale.
Shoes off has gone neurotic.

Maybe not but I remain entitled to request that visitors do so. It was the fact that he cited covid that made me pause.

I always stop trades people who are faffing with shoe covers and say it’s fine just come in. I find it rude and uncomfortable to ask guests to remove their shoes. As a family we are a no shoes in the house lot, but visitors are fine as I find it awkward when others ask it of me.

I don’t have a carpet cleaner so prefer people not to tramp around in shoes in my house. Outside is a path frequented by dog walkers so we are always careful with our own shoes.

Professionals like the one mentioned in the OP should have shoe covers.

Because Covid 🤨