Country walk, couldn't believe my eyes, this is how it spreads...

[RapidRainbow]

We've been, like everyone else, walking more than usual. Today we walked a new route. The path was really tricky to SD on having to stop and go up against barbed fences to let people pass. We were wedged between a group carrying a pushchair down to a beauty spot (we didn't realise until we got there the insistence to go down the very steep rocky stepped path was because they were clearly gathering for a day out with other families as we saw approx. 20 people in groups in a clearing!). At one point we stopped so we didn't get too close to people in front and a family group behind us went past and I felt their presence on my back, you know that little brush against you! Then there was a group of 3 in their early twenties ish with one man coughing and sensed them very close behind so moved over to let them past. On both occasions a polite 'excuse me' would have been better so we could suitable SD as best we could.

We sat on a hill near a gate, we could see everyone going through it opened it with their hands. My DH and son used their feet to knock the catches open so we didn't have to touch the gate. If we have to touch a stiff gate, we instantly use our hand spray gel, I'm so glad we didn't need to do that today!

I watched as kids climbed over the gate, people opened the gate then rubbed their face or opened a drinks bottle or ran their hands through their hair! I estimated that in the 10 minutes we sat there, approx 20 people touched that gate and not one used a handgel or wipe etc afterwards.

It's not exact, but that would be 120 people in an hour and over a 10 hour day of a busy area, approx 1200 touching that one gate. Statisticly, some of them would be carrying Covid!

These will be the people who get Covid and say 'well I've only been to the Supermarket and out walking'!

I don't think I'm being overly cautious? I feel safe outside if we SD but I try to imagine every person and every surface could be carrying Covid to keep risks to a minimum.

If you're that worried you should probably stay at home, OP.

Oh god, the mental health fallout of this is going to be huge isn't it? All these people paranoid about gates.

The CDC have said fomite transmission isn't likely and various studies have shown the virus really doesn't survive well in sunlight.

in the 10 minutes we sat there, approx 20 people touched that gate and not one used a handgel or wipe etc afterwards

That’ll be me then. I wash my hands as soon as I get home.

Kicking gate latches is a bit odd. Grasp sleeves/hem of top and use that, or tissue, or simply gel hands afterwards as you had it on you already, instead of putting feet where hands go.

If covid is as bad as some people seem to think it is, I doubt they'll be going on long country walks.

The chances of someone with ^asymptomatic' covid leaving big globules of the virus on a gate, such that others catch it, is at this point pretty minuscule. You're more likely to catch lyme disease, or get sat on by a cow.

Oh god, the mental health fallout of this is going to be huge isn't it? All these people paranoid about gates.

Yes. The number of people who develop OCD-type disorders off the back of this is going to be a minor public health crisis in itself. and posts like the OP's are feeding this

@Macon

Are people really still worrying about/posting about this?

I ate some strawberries a week ago, without washing them. I go out every day. I don't possess a mask. I pay in cash because there is no money in my bank account, thanks to lockdown. I wash my hands just as much as I did pre-Covid, namely when coming in from outside, after using the loo, and before and after preparing food.

I am, strangely, still well. So are my teenagers.

I really do doubt that anyone will catch anything from a gate.

Exactly. I wash my hands before eating or cooking and preparing food and on coming home from outdoors but that's it. I don't have a face mask and I am not going to stress myself about touching things when out.

I am also a runner and have touched and been through numerous gates on my runs without cleaning my hands directly afterwards. Fortunately I and all my family have been well.

We really need to stop being so anxious and start living life.

And the people who yelp, rear and lurch backwards at other people coming anywhere near in supermarkets (funnily enough they're never the ones wearing masks) really shouldn't be out at all.

Pah, amateur! I lick mine clean in the car park and then let the dog have a go .

@thedancingbear

If covid is as bad as some people seem to think it is, I doubt they'll be going on long country walks.

The chances of someone with ^asymptomatic' covid leaving big globules of the virus on a gate, such that others catch it, is at this point pretty minuscule. You're more likely to catch lyme disease, or get sat on by a cow.

Or killed on a RTC on the way over. Thousands are killed in RTCs, let's ban cars!

@PickACoolUserName

Oh god, the mental health fallout of this is going to be huge isn't it? All these people paranoid about gates.

The CDC have said fomite transmission isn't likely and various studies have shown the virus really doesn't survive well in sunlight.

I think you're bang on - the MH fallout from this is going to be huge.

People scared to touch gates, touch trolleys, go anywhere without masks and hand gel. What are we teaching our children?

OP, if you're worried about touching things you need a hygiene hook

Based on recent studies you probably already had Covid so time to stop obessessing over it, the state stepping in and doing lockdowns was largely a drill in case other more deadly diseases get in, like Ebola for example. Or MERS.

Isn't Covid like most viruses spread mainly through bodily fluids, so sorry from coughing or sneezing, toilet back spray when the lid isn't down, anything where moisture is such as globs of saliva or phlegm, sexual transmission etc.?

It's only one in a million people in the community have it over here in Ireland according to our Taoiseach!! Although I think we'd prefer if people from the UK didn't come over until maybe ye are at one in a 100,000 or so!!!

I'm gelling my hands if I touch a gate when out.

I'm shielding and am taking things carefully.

I think that's rational. It doesn't spoil my walk and I don't care what others do or don't do.

I hate being labelled 'hysterical' and OCD for being careful.

I feel safe outside if we SD but I try to imagine every person and every surface could be carrying Covid to keep risks to a minimum

I get you are trying to keep yourself safe but this type of thinking is where health anxiety starts.

Do you have a life OP?

No, no I do not think this is how it spreads at all.

One thing that puzzles me a bit about covid is the LOW transmission rate. I've read that without any SD or containment measures the R is about 3. That doesn't seem a lot at all considering how many people we typically meet in a day or how many surfaces we touch. I think you would be extremely unlucky to catch it from touching a surface somebody else has touched.

I say this as someone who caught chicken pox as an adult completely randomly without any idea who or where I could possibly have caught it from so I suppose it does happen.

Plus, I lived with someone who had chicken pox when I was 18, did no SD at all, shared cups and rubbed cream on her spots and didn't catch it!

@mencken

problem is that we all touch our mouths and faces a lot, and the virus survives on surfaces. That's the issue.

dropping the distance for adults is purely so the pubs can open, the science hasn't changed. A bit of maths tells you how much the risk increases if you drop social distance from 2 metres to 1 metre.

kids can go closer together as long as they keep away from teacher.

still, once the indoor people are all back inside the pubs and shopping centres, the parks and walks will have more room.

No it really isnt "purely so the pubs can open". At all.

Chances of catching Covid from a gate.......nil

Chances of going insane.........large.

Go figure.

Op what you observed with the number of people using the gate struck a chord with me. My understanding is there is a risk, however small. It's a concern for farmers here in Cumbria with so many walkers crossing their land.

Though the risk may be reduced outdoors the virus is spread on surfaces outside, it has also been shown to spread further on polluted air.

My experience is many people don't want to think about restricting their activities now, they just want to get back to normal. Will shout down anyone who indicates otherwise. I just try and concentrate on my own family and we make our own risk assessments like you say.

It's a weird time, stranger than lockdown for me with the pressure to get back to normal while the figures in my area still aren't good (and don't show the true extent of local spread I'm sure).

I think you're wise to be very careful OP but shouldn't be so paranoid. I think family get togethers (that seem to be happening loads) are much more worrying than touching a gate.