I did a stupid thing

[JigglyBoot]

Hospital appointment today touched various surfaces including an xray machine. Left hospital, took mask off and before I had sanitised my hands I'm allergic to most gels so had my own, sneezed into my hands 3/4 times. I've been so careful up until now. I think I must be bound to catch it now.

Try to stay calm JigglyBoot, you didn't have contact with anyone unmasked, and the X-ray machines are sanitised frequently. I think you will be okay. My late seventy year old parents are going to be vaccinated soon and I suddenly became scared today that they are going to have to go to the hospital at peak infection time but then I calmed myself thinking they must be santising regularly so that even if people forget to sanitise their hands everything will be sanitised anyway and

I'm trying to remember everything I did/ touched. Probably loads of stuff. Not just the xray machine. The chair, the paper the Doctor gave me, I bought a take away coffee whilst waiting and had to put my pin number in because the contactless thing wouldn't register my card. That's what I'm most worried about to be honest.

Op. You need to calm down.

You’re most worried about putting in your PIN number? Why?

OP- you’re being over-anxious.

Gosh OP- hospitals in “clean zones” (ie away from covid patients) are probably lower risk than most places as they’re cleaning constantly. Staff and most public attending hospital will be ultra aware of not attending if they have any symptoms.
Fomite transmission has been widely debunked.
I wouldn’t worry, I really wouldn’t.
Unless you’re going to drip feed that your appt was on a covid ward... I think you’re probably fine.

In all likely hood you will be fine.

Because the amount of people who would have touched the pad. I was already anxious about going to the hospital because my elderly father lives with us but didn't have much choice. Then I increased my and therefore his risk by being stupid.

Give yourself a break. Take a deep breath. It’s likely you’ll be fine.

It sounds like you're really overly anxious. The prevalence in society is less than 2%, so the chance of someone else who touched those things actually having the virus is low to start with. Even if they coughed in your face you're not guaranteed to get it - even between members of the same household, transmission is not 100%. Transmission through touch is quite unlikely. Plus remember everyone else is using hand gel like crazy so none of those things were probably touched by anyone with unclean hands anyway.

Plus unless you're very vulnerable, you'll be probably fine even if you do get it. You've a 30% chance of being asymptomatic for a start!

You’re very likely fine OP. I went to A&E 3 times between April and July (1 child broke a bone, another had 2 very severe mental health crises and needed to be taken for her own safety) and was there for hours each time. I was so worried and distracted all 3 times that I didn’t think not to touch things, forgot to sanitise regularly etc.

Never caught Covid. It spreads through close contact with an infected person, please don’t worry.

I'm going to ask something stupid here maybe - why would sneezing into your own hands give you covid? Because you touched your face as you caught the sneeze? I agree with others, don't worry unduly. Perhaps the whole trip to hospital in pandemic thing has heightened your worries. I admit I felt very anxious when I took dd for an xray recently.

Mostly, you catch it from other people. Not surfaces.

Because my hand had touched surfaces that could have had the virus on it and then I touched my face including my nose/ mouth which could have introduced those virus particles to it. Isn't that why we are told to constantly hand sanitise?

if you touched many surfaces it may be left somewhereelse not necessarly on you.

Well, OP, do you want us to try and rationalise it and reassure you it’s probably fine or should we just agree that you are probably going to covid (even though you’re likely not)

No I just was wondering how big the risk actually is? If it's high as it seems in my head then maybe I could try and isolate from my dad in the house. DH and dad think that's an overreaction. I just wondered how other people would view it.

I would think that unless you put your fingers/ hands up your nose and/or in your mouth, chances are miniscule.

OP, in the gentlest way possible, try to calm down and get a grip.

I took DD to hospital appointment over summer. A patient was sitting on a chair, he was called for his appointment and nearly the same second a cleaner who was waiting at the distance sanitised his chair. I’ve noticed that receptionist cleaned her hands straight away after touching some papers. We were waiting at opticians and I could see that he was cleaning all surfaces after the previous patient. Don’t panic, I bet hospitals are much safer than other places atm.
Also you sneezed so pushed away the air from your nose, it’s not like you rubbed in eyes with your hand.
Try to calm down and not to worry, I know it’s easier to say. I went to hairdresser a few weeks ago and felt so nervous afterwards and guilty that my visit could put DD at risk. It’s not normal of course but it’s because we’re so stressed about everything.

I think your DH and dad have the right measure on it to be honest but I guess if it’s really going to cause you huge anxiety you’ll have to make your own call. It really is a minimal risk though.

You could allocate yourself a set of plates, cutlery and a cup for using and make sure that you wash your hands after coughing/ sneezing, wipe all handles regularly, put your toothbrush and towel separately and ventilate regularly, no hugs and kisses with your Dad for 10 days. It won’t harm anyone as it’s flu season atm and there are other bugs still.
The risk is very low but it feels better when you’re doing something.

Yes I see, no I don't think it's a huge risk of you were touching generally sanitised things and you sneezed into your hands. The issue is getting external covid virus particles onto your mucous membranes e.g. by putting a covid covered finger into your mouth, eye etc.

Honestly you will be fine, equipment is wiped down after each patient and everyone entering and leaving and in-between are sanitising their hands, most hand sanitiser lasts X amount of time, so think about all the surfaces touched by sanitised hands.

The chances are small and even if you did manage to get some of the virus from a surface, it would be minimal.

you know masks dont stop you catching it-even if you sanitsed the shit out fo your hands you can still breathe it in

You’ve either got it or you haven’t
‘Trying to remember’ all the things you touched isn’t going to change that

I bet you’re not as careful the rest of the time as you think you are, most people are touching and contaminating and spreading germs all the time and don’t even realise / truly believe they’re not.
I’ve yet to see anyone properly decontaminate things

At least hospitals are cleaned regularly.