OK to give a card?

[Haffdonga]

Elderly neighbour on the phone to me let slip it's her 80th birthday today. She lives alone but has family around. She is self isolating with an underlying health issue.

Quick question - am I allowed to drop a card through her letter box? I'm a bit unsure if that's putting her at risk or not. I'm well as far as I know.

I think the chances of getting coronavirus from a card are small, but not impossible. It does stay on surfaces etc. so it's possible to transmit it this way.

Thanks @NuffsaidSam

So I shouldn't?

I would but I wouldn’t lick the envelope. I would also wash my hands before writing it and maybe unwrap it outside.

Maybe leave it on her doorstep so she has the choice to pick it up or not.

I think it's up to you and her.

Personally, I'm just picking up the mail as it comes through as normal.

But I know people who are wearing gloves or leaving it for a few days before touching it. People are disinfecting their letterboxes etc.

Maybe you could ask her? If she's being really cautious you don't want to post germs through her letterbox. But the thought is lovely. Are you doing shopping for her? If so then it's fine because you're sending stuff in anyway.

Yes, I've done shopping for her so I guess a card is neither here nor there.
Thanks, Decided.

There was a professor of epidemiology on BBC earlier, she said paper/post is a very unlikely source of transmission. She just said wash hands after handling post is worried.

Unless you're actively coughing onto the card, it should be fine.