Can anyone give me advice I’m confused

[M2AL]

Hi everyone basically a friend of mine brought some Christmas presents around for us. She works in a hospital and gets regularly tested for Covid. She had various tests last week done. She felt like she had a chest infection and this was confirmed at the doctors. Doctors told her to go to get a Covid test on Wednesday . She had previous tests for work purposes on Tuesday that came back negative. However we received a text on Friday to from her to say she had just received confirmation she has tested positive from her test taken on Wednesday. She brought the presents around in a woven bag , but adhered to social distancing rules and at the time was unaware she had Covid as she had taken lots of negative tests. She has since tested herself again and had two more negative results. I have distanced myself over Christmas incase I have picked up Covid from the bag she had the presents in. We are now five days on and I think I am imagining symptoms of shortness of breath because I have asthma. I have just taken a test myself and it comes back negative. I am not classed as a close contact because she stood outside for less than five minutes and was wearing a mask. I’m just worried about the bag. Can I get on with normal life if I haven’t got a positive results from my test after five days . Thanks in advance

Umm I’m no expert but I wouldn’t be isolating because I touched a bag someone with covid has touched.

I'd think it very unlikely to catch it from a bag.

I don’t think you need to be overly worried if she stood outside socially distanced for five mins wearing a mask and passed you a woven bag

Hope she’s feeling better soon, I think you’ll be fine

Last I read (which was a while ago) there was no evidence of transmission via handling objects that other people have handled. It is therefore fairly unlikely that you will have picked up any germs from your friend. However, in that fairly unlikely circumstance that you did, the viral load wouldn't be high enough to trigger a positive test yet, so your negative test is meaningless. If you get a negative test in 3 or 4 days time that would confirm that you are all clear. What activities of "normal life" would you want to do in the next 3 days that you wouldn't do if you thought you might be infectious?

Your friend needs to stop testing Four tests in as many days?? Also you don't need to test unless you have covid symptoms.

@PrivateIndoorXmas

Hospital workers who receive a positive result from a fast lateral test often get retested as they are often wrong.

@KihoBebiluPute

We put off seeing my grandparents Christmas Day as they have been poorly a few months ago. So I didn’t want to risk it around them. And just wondered if it was safe.

How long after exposure do symptoms normally show or you get a positivetest result

@OverTheRainbow88 I think this maybe the case but couldn’t be 100 percent sure. She received 1 negative then one positive test. Then also two negatives after the positive test two days later

Average is 5 days but can be up to 14 days to get symptoms

@dementedpixie

Average is 5 days but can be up to 14 days to get symptoms

So I’m best just staying away from my grandparents incase. I was just getting confused as I’m not classes as a contact because she stood outside with a mask it was just the handling of the woven bag which I didn’t wash my hands from after if I remember

Usually around day 5 but can be up to 14 days.

Track and trace don’t even acknowledge those seen outside as close Contacts

I would be exactly the same. I’m not sure on the exposure with the bag I’m. Sorry I can’t answer that. Hopefully you get some answers to stop you worrying . Hopefully you see your family soon

You really don’t need to worry about the bag. I wish people would learn about viral load, there has to be a significant amount of virus present for it to infect you. Please try not to irrationally worry there are people who have covid and their spouses don’t even catch it from them living in the same house and sharing a bed so I’m sure touching a bag isn’t an issue.

@Katie517 Thankyou I’ve never heard of viral load. I will look into it and have a read x

@M2AL hopefully @Katie517 is right and you get to see your family soon. I’m going to look into it as I worry about similar things to you such as handling shopping items

Thankyou I just have anxiety so always question “what if”. I know the chance is minuscule but there was always that doubt in my mind

Viral load is how much virus is in a person and how much they are shedding. Infectious dose is how much of the virus that is needed to pass on the virus - tiny amounts will not pass it on, you need enough of a dose to catch it.

If you touched the bag and then washed your hands it’s not an issue regardless.

@ittakes2 I don’t remember washing my hands . Has such a hectic day that it slipped my mind