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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

She doesn’t want to touch the ball-y’know, because of covid

320 replies

Thecarobsarefalling · 18/08/2021 10:21

We were at the beach last night with toddler Dd, she was happily running around the beach and fairly nearby was a family with two girls, maybe 8/9 years old.
Dd ran near to them (does this fairly frequently) to say hello/wanting to play. The older girl looked almost scared and backed away and said ‘I can’t’ we called Dd away as it felt like an awkward situation. The mum then cheerfully called to me that she probably didn’t want to touch the beach ball, because of covid. She then told her daughter she’d done the right thing. They left, saying a cheery goodbye and for us to enjoy our evening.
Aibu just to find this so very sad.

OP posts:
Doodlebug71 · 18/08/2021 11:47

Transmission by touch is one of the main vectors. Always has been. Doesn't matter where you are (indoors or out).

Your OP certainly reads as though they understand how covid transmits, even if you and others here don't.

It's sad that we're living through a pandemic. It's sad that people will judge others for being cautious, and being sensible. Enjoy the rest of your holiday, OP.

User5827372728 · 18/08/2021 11:47

Yes it’s sad, regardless of their situation, it’s bloody sad

Staffy1 · 18/08/2021 11:48

Why is it so impossible to get covid from a beach ball? If someone with covid has coughed or sneezed near it or over their hands which then go on the beach ball, or even wiped their nose, touched their mouth then the beach ball, surely the beach ball is going to have covid virus on it?

igelkott2021 · 18/08/2021 11:48

@girlmom21

It's sad that young children need to worry about Covid but it's good that she's been taught about germs and how to keep safe etc.
"Safe" is another word that has been overused in relation to covid. There is no such thing as "safe".

You take care. That is all.

And you can't catch covid by touching a ball.

igelkott2021 · 18/08/2021 11:50

Transmission by touch is one of the main vectors. Always has been. Doesn't matter where you are (indoors or out)

This is 100% untrue and was the case from very early on. Hence why the use of sanitiser has been covid theatre throughout.

Cadent · 18/08/2021 11:51

It may have nothing to do with Covid. Some children get that caught in headlights look when anyone outside of their acquaintance, even a child, tries to interact with them (which is probably a good thing depending on who it is).

Some kids have zero social skills, you can't blame everything on Covid.

dementedpixie · 18/08/2021 11:51

@Doodlebug71

Transmission by touch is one of the main vectors. Always has been. Doesn't matter where you are (indoors or out).

Your OP certainly reads as though they understand how covid transmits, even if you and others here don't.

It's sad that we're living through a pandemic. It's sad that people will judge others for being cautious, and being sensible. Enjoy the rest of your holiday, OP.

I think you are mistaken. It is transmitted through the air by droplets by talking or coughing or sneezing, etc

Touching surfaces is far from the main method of transmission which makes it very unlikely to catch covid from touching a beach ball.

Doodlebug71 · 18/08/2021 11:52

@loulous1985 @HeyDugeesCakeBadge most of the population is now vaccinated.

Not correct. To be vaccinated, everyone has to be double-jabbed.

There's about 40% of the population still to be vaccinated.

loulous1985 · 18/08/2021 11:52

@Doodlebug71

What are you tagging me for? I didn't say anything about vaccination.

Cadent · 18/08/2021 11:53

@igelkott2021

Transmission by touch is one of the main vectors. Always has been. Doesn't matter where you are (indoors or out)

This is 100% untrue and was the case from very early on. Hence why the use of sanitiser has been covid theatre throughout.

Do you mean hand sanitiser doesn't work? I've read that it only works on clean/unsweaty hands, which seems to defeat the purpose when you're out and about.
RobinPenguins · 18/08/2021 11:53

Transmission by touch is one of the main vectors. Always has been. Doesn't matter where you are (indoors or out).

It is not, this is pure misinformation.

Carycy · 18/08/2021 11:53

it’s really sad. I was at a play ground with my two children on one of those big circular net swings. One pushing, one on it. A young girl came and stood there waiting to get on. I said would you like to get on with them? She just looked at her mum and looked scared. Her mum didn’t say anything but said to her friend passive aggressively we are just waiting for her to go on this and then we are going. Didn’t acknowledge what I had said. They then proceeded to stand over us waiting for “their turn”. How bloody sad that kids aren’t allowed to play together anymore. We felt incredibly uncomfortable and pressurized to get off the swing despite having not been on it long.

Oogachuckachopsy · 18/08/2021 11:53

@Thecarobsarefalling

Not really judging the family and they were perfectly nice, just the look on the girls face and how she went from looking so delighted and was about to play with Dd, then as of she remembered and looked so frightened and backed right away. Just so sad.
It would be more sad if she’d got Covid, given it to someone abs they’d died. Or perhaps she had lost someone to it. You know nothing about her and her family.

I’m more relaxed than most (not in a way that risks others) and these are not normal times. I’d stop thinking about them. She sounds sensible.

Gwenhwyfar · 18/08/2021 11:54

"It’s not sad, it’s sensible."

It's not sensible when Covid isn't really transmitted like that. It's a misunderstanding of the risks.

MrsAvocet · 18/08/2021 11:54

I do think it's sad that young children have been affected to the point where they are struggling with normal social interactions. The impact of the pandemic on people's general wellbeing goes far beyond the medical effects of the virus. We met up with my BIL and his family a few weeks ago and he was commenting on how good his 2 year old DD is about social distancing, using hand sanitiser etc but at the same time it is sad that this is all she knows and he worries that it may have long term effects.
We've had an absolute explosion of youngsters joining the kids sports club that I help run since restrictions eased and almost every parent has commented that it is as much about the social interaction as the sport.
Mind you, I was caught a bit unawares last week. At the end of the session I waved my group goodbye from my usual 2m distance when one little girl ran over and hugged me. It's not something we'd encourage anyway (Safeguarding policy....also kind of sad but necessary) but I did find myself feeling extra uncomfortable about it from the covid perspective. If you'd have asked me before if I'd have worried in those circumstances I'd have said no, but when it actually happened the covid risk was the first thing I thought of. It's perhaps more deeply ingrained in many of us than we realise, and that's not necessarily wrong, but I agree with the OP's choice of word - it is sad.

Gwenhwyfar · 18/08/2021 11:55

@Staffy1

Why is it so impossible to get covid from a beach ball? If someone with covid has coughed or sneezed near it or over their hands which then go on the beach ball, or even wiped their nose, touched their mouth then the beach ball, surely the beach ball is going to have covid virus on it?
Studies have shown that this is not a major way of transmitting the virus though. It goes through the air.
RobinPenguins · 18/08/2021 11:56

It would be more sad if she’d got Covid, given it to someone abs they’d died.

Treating children like dirty, germ ridden disease vectors is also pretty sad.

Branleuse · 18/08/2021 11:57

I think its sad too. Obviously we dont know their families circumstances, but i think for majority of people its just passing their health anxiety onto their children for no real benefit. Its so disproportionate, and as you say, if theyve gone abroad and are on a beach anyway, then theyre risk assessment is likely a bit skewiff

JSL52 · 18/08/2021 11:57

@Seeline

TBF OP didn't say they were abroad, on holiday or on a busy beach.....
She did at 11.30
TooManyAnimals94 · 18/08/2021 11:57

I don't know if it's covid or if some kids are always weird about germs. I ran a pony day with a kid yesterday who tried to do everything with gloves on like grooming and tacking up etc because the pony might have 'germs'.
Was asking to go wash her hands every 10 mins, I found it a bit infuriating tbh. I never liked having dirty hands as a child...like mud or anything sticky but I don't know what these kids think they're going to catch off a pony 😐

Doodlebug71 · 18/08/2021 11:57

@dementedpixie. Neighbours are ICU staff. They told me the age groups of CV patients in their unit, and what the main vectors are and have been. Touch is one of them, which is why they're all continuing their covid stance (masking, cleaning and so on), even if much of MN appears to have decided that it's all nonsense.

lljkk · 18/08/2021 12:01

How would ICU staff know how patients in ICU caught covid? They are medical professionals, not contact tracers or epidemiologists.

Doodlebug71 · 18/08/2021 12:01

@RobinPenguins

Transmission by touch is one of the main vectors. Always has been. Doesn't matter where you are (indoors or out).

It is not, this is pure misinformation.

@RobinPenguins. No worries. I'll tell the neighbours who work in ICU that they're wrong because people on MN said so. (Obviously, I won't.)
itsgrand · 18/08/2021 12:01

@BogRollBOGOF

It's very sad that children have been indoctrinated to fear normal interactions and it will have a long term cost in society.

The chances of catching Covid from touching a beach ball are so low as to be negligable.

I totally agree. This is very sad & of course will have long term implications.

It is also quite ridiculous if they have actually travelled by plane to then be afraid of touching a toddlers beach ball.

NowEvenBetter · 18/08/2021 12:01

I can think of limitless things sadder than a kid not wanting to play with your toddler, which isn’t actually ‘sad’. Gosh.