AIBU to wonder if you still do these things with covid around?!

[Rainbowabacus1]

AIBU to wonder if you still do these things with covid and other viruses and bacteria about or if you’re more cautious these days.

Some examples:
-filling your car with petrol without wearing gloves to touch the handle of the pump.
-using a basket or trolley without wearing gloves/sanitizing first
-touching door handles and taps in public e.g. when using the toilet etc

Surely if someone is touching those things without precautions such as sanitization or gloves, their risk of catching something is higher than someone who is taking those extra precautions.

How long could germs live On those sorts If surfaces if they were not sanitized?

YABU: I don’t take any extra precautions
YANBU: I DO take extra precautions, you’d be mad not to

I don't wear gloves at a petrol pump, I don't sanitize the trolly or basket, and I will touch door handles and taps as often as I have always done. I just wash my hands when I get home, like I have always done.

I wear gloves in the petrol station as I don't like the smell of petrol on my hands. When I go shopping I don't wear gloves but do use hand sanitizer on hands then wipe it along the trolley handle. I still wipe down the shopping when I get home before putting it away too.
Going in to a public toilet, I will wash my hands, open the doors on the way out and then sanitise my hands when outside.
I do this for the same reasons that I won't eat free peanuts on a bar, other people!
All my handbags had a bottle of sanitiser in before the pandemic started so when the shops ran out due to panick buying, I had a few in anyway as all this stuff was normal practice for me.

As many others have said, covid transmission is absolutely minimal on surfaces and predominantly via via airborne droplets. Cleaning hands regularly is good hygiene but no need to do additional because of covid

Never went down the sanitizer route during Covid unless someone wouldn't let me through the door without squirting the revolting smelly squidy greasy stuff on my hands. I do always wash my hands when I get in though! And before preparing or cooking food. And after going to the toilet. Life is too short to worry about every little germ and illness for most of us with decent health.

I use my own hand gel on going into a shop and when leaving. Also use after using cash point, when I return trolley. So taking precautions but not going OTT, I feel.

Doing those things, we run the risk of becoming so sterile we won't have any exposure to germs and damage our immune systems, not the mention the impact on MH!

There is a 1 in 10,000 chance of contracting COVID from a surface, I’ll take my chances.

I don't have the mental energy to worry about this. I teach in an infant school so my whole day is spent touching germy surfaces. I wash my hands regularly that's it

You can’t change other people’s behaviour but you can mitigate your own risk.

It is mainly spread through the air isn’t it?
I make sure I wash my hands often and well and use antibacterial gel if outside. I always ensure hands are clean before eating. Apart from that and mask wearing in enclosed spaces I rely on my immune system and Pfizer x 3.

I don't know how people fine the time to fret about this stuff.

I’ve never done any of those things because catching Covid from surfaces is pretty unlikely.

Hand sanitiser disgusts me though. I can’t remember what proportion of bacteria and viruses hand sanitisers actually kill but it’s surprisingly low and it doesn’t touch viruses like norovirus. And I think people use it thinking it’s a replacement for washing hands. So using one of those communal hand sanitiser dispensers where everyone else has touched the pump does pretty much nothing against Covid but does put you at risk of norovirus.

@PickledOnionsOnToast

I don't know how people fine the time to fret about this stuff.

Takes me about 10 seconds to stuff a few gloves and wipes in my glove compartment. Also handy for unexpected vomiting episodes and random dog shit incidents, which are also a sad fact of life along with other people being dirty mingers who don’t wash their hands after going to the toilet or picking their nose

True about norovirus, tbf. You actually have to wash that off your hands with soap and running water, as I pointed out to a colleague in school who told us all to step up the hand sanitiser as a precaution against it.

YABU

I dont do those things generally. If gloves are available I use them sometimes at petrol stations because like pp, I hate the smell of diesel.
I wash my hands thoroughly when I get home and when I get to work (after using public transport) if I was going to eat anything "on the go" - although since covid i have tended not to - i would use hand sanitiser.

I did accidentally use DS toothbrush for a few seconds (its the same colour as mine) 8 days after his positive covid test. (I wouldnt want to share it in any circumstances btw!!) I didn't get covid.

Hand sanitiser disgusts me though. I can’t remember what proportion of bacteria and viruses hand sanitisers actually kill but it’s surprisingly low and it doesn’t touch viruses like norovirus. And I think people use it thinking it’s a replacement for washing hands. So using one of those communal hand sanitiser dispensers where everyone else has touched the pump does pretty much nothing against Covid but does put you at risk of norovirus.

I had a foamy type sanitiser that claimed it was effective against norovirus. I've no idea how true that was.

I don't use gloves, never have.

I wash my hands thoroughly regularly, before eating, after using the toilet, upon returning home.

I use hand sanitiser if I'm out and have been touching a lot of surfaces, I'm not obsessive with it. I've always been this way because I'm a hygienic person and there are other bugs besides Covid.

I know people who wear those plastic gloves but gave some absolutely revolting habits such as wearing a sweaty glove on a bus, round a shop then eating and smoking a fag with it on.

Didn’t even consider petrol pumps tbh. I sanitise my hands a lot and have always been a keen hand washer even pre-pandemic. It’s an airborne illness though so far more chance of catching it from air droplets than touching objects. I caught it from my DD who caught it at school, she coughed in my face when I was doing the PCR test on her…

I just sanitize my hands regularly. I can’t not touch handles or petrol pumps etc.. it’s impossible! I just sanitize hands all the time and then wash them before eating and after toilet as usual etc.

I wash my hands regularly, as I always have done and wear a mask. That’s it. I haven’t changed any of my other behaviours and don’t wear gloves / sanitise anything. Haven’t caught covid yet as far as I know and I’m in the clinically extremely vulnerable group.

The whole sanitising trolley thing outside the supermarket makes me I mean just wash your hands when you get home surely that’s enough…?

I do all those things and I’m not that careful about sanitising because the risk of catching covid from a surface is very small. What I am careful about is social distancing from strangers/colleagues as it’s an airborne disease and testing before family/friend gatherings. It’s worked well so far.

I don’t take any of those precautions.

And no I’m not an anti vaxxer. I’m double jabbed and getting my booster soon.

I wash my hands when I get in. I couldn't live like this. The anxiety would ruin me.

@Theywalkamongstus

I've never done any of those things. Never in my life and not in the last 18 months either.

Same.

Can't believe people are still engaging with this sanitising everything theatre