My DM and my Aunt (DM's sister) both get cold sores fairly frequently. I suffer with anxiety and cold sores seem to be a trigger for me. My Aunt once kissed my children in the lips when she was getting a cold sore (she couldn't feel any tingling and so didn't know a blister was brewing). I was very upset and banned any kissing on the lips (I didn't like it anyway and that was the last straw). I've been extra anxious about cold sores since.
The problem is that whenever one of them gets a cold sore, I'm worried that they will pass on the virus as my DM in particular is very prickly about washing her hands after she's eaten (DM tends to her lick her fingers after eating, then she'll handle a toy belonging to my dc's for example. I then I sister she washes her hands; I'll wash to he toy but she thinks I'm barmy).
She insists that you cannot pass virus on this way; it's just direct contact with the blister (and didn't she never kisses my dc's on the lips). My DH pointed out to heat I grew up around both my mum and Aunt and have never got a cold sore.
The cold sore/hand washing thing is a bone odd contention at the moment. I know I'm annoying my mum (she threatened to leave our house because of it last week) and I can't relax around her because I don't trust she's particularly careful.
Should I stick to my guns or am I being OTT?
Thank-you