My friend probably has Covid-19 but hasn't left the house for 3 weeks!!!

[StitchInLime]

How is this possible?

She lives alone. She's on the vulnerable list so as soon as she saw the shit hitting the fan, she worked from home and stayed in. Another friend has been delivering shopping - literally leaving it at end of the drive, wiped stuff down, careful.

All her communication has been online, no seeing people. She's been out for walks but hardly passing anyone as she does and always 2 metres away. She gets minimal post and careful handling it.

And yet still, she bloody gets it! I don't understand! She just can't wrap her head around it.

All the symptoms are classic C19 and her GP agrees over the phone it's very likely it is. To add, so far quite mild (though still that cough, the fever, headaches etc not bad... Yet).

She must've got it from a surface she touched whilst out walking? Very unlucky but possible.... I hope she recovers soon x

If she’s on the extremely vulnerable list she’s not supposed to go out for walks and the chances are that’s how she caught it.

She was infected three weeks ago and the symptoms appeared presumably a few days ago. That's within expected timeframe isn't it?

So she has left the house then?

I don’t think three weeks incubation is impossible. Depending on what area of the country she’s in I’d say there’s a strong likelihood she was really unlucky and picked it up before confining herself.

If she’s in a highly populated area like a city then I think it’s even more likely she managed to pick it up just before quarantining herself.

But she has left the house, and she probably contracted it before she started wfh.

Longest incubation period I've seen recorded is 28 days.

@Cornettoninja incubation is anything up to 28 days according to WHO and China but our government glossed over that.

My friend who is a GP has posted lots of information about viral load. I wonder if it’s possible she has been exposed to a very small amount of the virus, perhaps from a surface when she’s been out, and is therefore only suffering mild symptoms. Or she may have something else. Obligatory not a doctor disclaimer.

Handling bags, groceries and posts without gloves and mask or wearing shoes in house after being outside are possibilities. The amount of people that I’ve seen spit and snot on the streets, we then walk through that. Passing someone who’s sneezed or coughed. Could have been on surfaces of work equipment she’s brought home. These are all plausible ways as its so infectious.

Those on vulnerable list are allowed out for one walk a day, aren't they? That's what she told me anyway?! (Not as familiar with vulnerable rules)

28 days incubation?! I didn't realise that, christ. That might be why then.

And yes, I guess it could be the walks though she lives in a village and walking on field behind her house and hardly seeing anyone. Not touching anything.

*Cheeryandmerry are you able to share the information about viral load with us? Might be useful information to know as now more and more people are relying on deliveries/click and collect etc?

StitchInLime *hope your friend feels better soon.

There was a doctor on a bbc interview earlier and he said the virus can be picked up in the home through parcels, shopping and post.

It can linger in the air for a couple of hours, apparently. Also for many hours on hard surfaces.

The extremely vulnerable shouldn’t leave the house at all ( but can open windows).
Plus it’s taking the puss a bit to let others do your shopping for you, but still go out for a walk!!
If she’s ‘just’ regular vulnerable then the walk is fine, but she can do her own shopping.

Those who have a letter are not supposed to leave the house for 12 weeks. It will have said so on the letter.

I'd be happy enough to do shopping for someone who is just "regular vulnerable" walking about in a field if you live in the country must be much lower risk than being in a supermarket.

She might just have been very unlucky and managed to pick it up in a way that is normally low risk.
Or picked it up before self isolating.

Taking a walk is MUCH lower risk than going to the supermarket.
The fact she has been reasonably active, getting fresh air and sunshine and taking care of herself probably gives her a better chance of fighting off the virus once she has it than if she had spent the last 3 weeks in the dark on the sofa with the windows closed.
It is tricky as there is a balance to be struck between avoiding the virus whilst also staying healthy!

To pick up on a pps point, I would gladly do the shopping for someone self isolating even if that person still went on walks. Because the risks are not comparable. I would hate to think that someone would feel bad asking just because they continue with low risk exercise.

There was a doctor on a bbc interview earlier and he said the virus can be picked up in the home through parcels, shopping and post

I'm sure I heard one this morning saying there weren't any recorded cases of transfer from shopping or parcels, I'm not totally sure but I think that's what they said.

If your friend hasn't been tested maybe she has a different condition.

Ranguski this looks a good article

www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/viral-load-many-health-workers-getting-sick/

Some of the responses do make me laugh! Like it's not ok for a friend to drop some shopping off for another more vulnerable friend when she's passing anyway on the way back from the shops? And a walk in the fields behind her house isn't an issue. Common sense people!
My suspicion is she got it 3 weeks ago now I know the incubation period is longer, she was working in London and travelling in by train each day. Bless her. She's been through a nightmare as her dick of a husband left her in the New Year. We're all keeping an eye on her, Zooming every day at the same time and messaging frequently. Just feel sick none of us can be there to actually look after her but she seems OK so far. We actually Zoomed on Sunday night and I did notice she looked a bit pesky.

If she has a letter the advice is to stay inside the house - no walks. There will be reasons for that and risks if ignored. Up to the individual whether they are prepared to take the risk, it may be the lower risk of walking in the country is in their view worth taking but it is still a risk against medical advice. If ill it may not be the new virus so more reason to consider risk carefully to avoid getting both.

If no letter this is not an issue.

*peaky

Going shopping is way more risky than going for walk! Especially if walking in a rural area, not having to go near anyone or touch gates etc. It’s no more risky than opening a window.

In a supermarket, you pass people closer than you should, due to the width of the isles, touch things many other people have likely recently touched, including door handle, baskets, trolleys, cash or chip and pin machines and you stand closer to the poor cashier as there is no choice.

The two just aren’t comparable.