Caught Covid outside? :(

[Threelittlegins]

My husband has been working from home for months.
We don’t go to a supermarket we have food delivered and we always wipe it down.

Since lockdown began the only places we have been is for a walk.

I take my DS for a walk to our local park most days. (Only a baby so we don’t use the play area)

On Tuesday I met up with a friend and we went for a walk around a local lake.
It was quite busy but I never had close contact with anyone.
A few runners did run past quite close though.

Me and my friend distanced the whole time.

Before our walk we visited the cafe for a takeaway coffee. It’s all done outside so we didn’t have to go in.

I did drink from a disposable coffee cup but sanitised my hands when I’d finished, washed hands when I got home.

This morning I’ve got a sore throat and a tickly cough. 😖
I’ve ordered a test.

@Lucindainthesky

OP it WAS prolonged contact if you went for a walk together and then both had a coffee. It wasn't a 5 second interaction with the postman, was it. Distancing is all very well but it's only a guide, the virus doesn't magically stop at 2m. If you spend a prolonged period of time with somebody you run the risk of catching something.

@Lucindainthesky

We didn’t have a coffee together! Coffee shops aren’t even open.

We got a takeaway coffee to drink on our walk around the lake.

There is another thread similar but if you go out there is a strong possibility you will catch it

Based on what evidence? What are you calling a “strong possibility”? 70%? 80%? Every time you leave the house? Look at the numbers of cases and think for about four seconds and you’ll see your statement is ridiculous.

@PurpleDaisies

No you don't have to wear a mask outdoors but if you want to reduce possible transmission of covid, I don't understand why you wouldn't.

Because the risk of transmission outdoors is minuscule.

Yes I agree, but the possibility is causing OP high levels of anxiety, so in her situation I don't understand why she wouldn't.

I wear one outside. Not because I'm particularly anxious about catching covid, but because a miniscule risk isn't no risk and it seems a kindness to others.

@islockdownoveryet

I haven't read the full thread but did you wear a mask ?

No I didn’t. Simply because being outdoors, distancing is a very low risk environment.

@LethargicLumpOfLockdownLard I lied and said I lost my taste and smell. Good job I did otherwise I'd be walking around infecting people. No wonder this virus is spreading like wildfire if we think we just have a cold/headache . My two little ones had diarrhoea well I can't really call it diarrhoea tbh it was more like the squirts I'm pretty sure they had COVID and that was they're symptoms.

You can see yourself then Threelittlegins that you very probably haven't caught covid.

Maybe try and take your mind off it until you get the results of your test, which fingers crossed are negative.

@christinarossetti19

You can see yourself then Threelittlegins that you very probably haven't caught covid.

Maybe try and take your mind off it until you get the results of your test, which fingers crossed are negative.

@christinarossetti19

Which is why I’ve never really felt anxious going for walks and distancing but I’ve obviously now caught something.🙁

I wear one outside. Not because I'm particularly anxious about catching covid, but because a miniscule risk isn't no risk and it seems a kindness to others.

I’m not sure people think you’re being kind by wearing a mask outdoors. I think people who wear them outside are must likely to be extremely anxious or unaware that the risk is basically nil outside, especially when you’re socially distanced like the op was.

The infection rate in the UK ( on average) is 1 in 80 people. That will be higher in places of high infection rate and lower in other places You would be quite unlucky to have caught Covid in the way you describe but it is not impossible. Hopefully your test will put your mind at rest op

[quote Threelittlegins]@islockdownoveryet

I haven't read the full thread but did you wear a mask ?

No I didn’t. Simply because being outdoors, distancing is a very low risk environment.[/quote]
I don't wear one outside either .
I've seen plenty of people wearing masks on walks though .
I think you'd be extremely unlucky to catch Covid outside considering you and dh wfh and you never go to a shop .
It's possible it's a cold and nothing so before you say caught Covid outside I'd wait for the results .
And if you really are worried wear a mask on your next social distancing walk .

@PurpleDaisies

I wear one outside. Not because I'm particularly anxious about catching covid, but because a miniscule risk isn't no risk and it seems a kindness to others.

I’m not sure people think you’re being kind by wearing a mask outdoors. I think people who wear them outside are must likely to be extremely anxious or unaware that the risk is basically nil outside, especially when you’re socially distanced like the op was.

@PurpleDaisies

To be honest I’ve always thought the same about wearing masks outside.

I know I’ve mentioned about runners and passers by but even then I think for the brief moment they pass me, the chance of catching Covid is very small.

However I have got a sore throat from somewhere and it’s being outdoors.

For all the posters saying a sore throat isn’t a symptom, stop talking bollocks. My son had covid and his only symptoms were a sore throat, headache and fatigue. My husband and I had it and felt like we had the flu, including a sore throat.
However I think it is unlikely to be covid in your case op with all the precautions you’ve taken.

I know I’ve mentioned about runners and passers by but even then I think for the brief moment they pass me, the chance of catching Covid is .
However I have got a sore throat from somewhere and it’s being outdoors.
If you have caught something it's most probably from you friend who you were with a lot longer than a runner passing you in a split second.

@islockdownoveryet

I know I’ve mentioned about runners and passers by but even then I think for the brief moment they pass me, the chance of catching Covid is . However I have got a sore throat from somewhere and it’s being outdoors. If you have caught something it's most probably from you friend who you were with a lot longer than a runner passing you in a split second.

@islockdownoveryet

But the runners and passers by were closer than my friend ever got!

I’ve just read so many different things about inflammatory auto immune conditions making your vulnerable to Covid.
I’m not sure what to believe.

Here is a good summary and associated resources:

rheum-covid.org/epidemiology-and-outcomes-of-novel-coronavirus-2019-in-patients-with-immune-mediated-inflammatory-diseases/

Also a listing of lay person summaries with links to the sources and a separate area to list the original publications if you prefer that to lay person summaries.

rheum-covid.org/plain-language-summaries/

Well that’s it then... science be gone! Obviously the joggers and others passing evidently gave you an illness you don’t know you have (because they obviously had COVID but were still able to go out jogging...

[quote Threelittlegins]@anniegun

Whatever you have caught it shows you have been close enough to someone to catch a virus (either by direct transmission or indirectly via a surface). Its probably a cold but just goes to show how easily viruses spread.

My friend is the first person I’ve seen in weeks (except my husband who doesn’t go anywhere)

I didn’t get close to my friend.

Passers by were briefly closer to me than my friend as we were walking of opposite sides of the path.
Several runners also passed by.

So it’s got to be from being briefly close to them than being 2m away from my friend, who is fine and has no symptoms of anything.[/quote]
I was walking along our local tow path a few weeks ago, and a heavily breathing running ran past us and literally exhaled in my face. It was really gross and I did wonder for a while if he's given me the virus - and I don't suffer from any kind of health anxiety! But luckily a few weeks later I am still fine :) So I would wager if you have caught a cold/c19/whatever, one of the runners will be the culprit.

I think colds are easier to catch so most likely or even allergy to something in the air from the walk.

Hopefully the test will offer some reassurance

You’re spending a lot of time and energy trying to figure out how you caught a virus that you don’t even know you have, OP.

Nah I'm not buying this all the runners came closer to you than your friend how ?
It was a split second unless they coughed or sneezed in that split second the possibility is extremely slim .
I pass multiple people out running and they move to left or right and I run the other side . I probably pass someone in 1 second or less but I'm always more than 2 metres away .
I think your being paranoid or not entirely honest .

@Krazynights34

Well that’s it then... science be gone! Obviously the joggers and others passing evidently gave you an illness you don’t know you have (because they obviously had COVID but were still able to go out jogging...

If this is true I'm never leaving the house again those pesky joggers spreading Covid .

@Skipsurvey

but *@justleavemebe* you cannot allow people to stay at home with minor symptoms, there would be no workers. people need to socially distance/mask up

I have a lot of those symptoms most of time, I can't test every time something flares up, I'd never leave the house!

Hope you get your test quickly OP and it turns out to not be Covid.

Are you feeling ill or generally well apart from the throat and cough?

On mumsnet I read about all these selfish runners who run close, breathing in peoples faces however in real life runners all give space (even pre COVID) and I give space as a runner.

But yet it happens all the time on here 🤷🏻‍♀️. And they aren’t selfish. They are just as entitled as you to be outside and use the space.

If you do have Covid (which I doubt) it just goes to show how random this virus is. Families living in the same household do not always all develop the virus but allegedly people can catch it due to a passer buy or by touching something 🤷‍♀️