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.

You are totally over-reacting here. Please breathe and calm down.

Researchers have been saying for a long time now, that touching things is far less likely to be a source of catching the virus than was at first thought. Also you were ina hospital where cleaning is an absolute priority. And you sneezed into your hands. You didn't lick them or push your fingers up your nose.

You absolutely don't need to isolate from anyone.

And no-one on this thread should be encouraging any different behaviour from normal, because that's not helping you at all, and is feeding what is an irrational fear. Please listen to your family and calm down.

I’ve been in hospital every few weeks throughout the pandemic for regular treatment. It’s probably the least risky place, and as someone else said, finite transmission has been pretty much debunked- it’s aerosol transmission that is causing spread

I have an 80yo elderly relative who has gone to hospital for treatment twice a week throughout the whole pandemic - in one of the worse hit areas - and has been fine. Try not to worry.

I've had discussions on here with people who don't think you need to wash your hands if you go to the toilet at night and who don't realise you need to wash fruit before you eat it.

Humans are hardy. I know it's hard, but if you're generally keeping clean, wearing a mask and so on, you're taking the necessary steps that many aren't.

Jeeze, my daughter had covid. She lives in a tiny tiny house with her DH and DC where it was impossible to be apart from them or to not touch things. She had some instant tests at home (she's a nurse so has to do regular testing at home for her work) so she regularly tested her family throughout their isolation. None of them caught it.

So do you still think touching a few things in the cleanest of environments and coughing into your hand is going to put you at more risk than living with someone with Covid for ten days?

You're massively over reacting OP,

I was admitted to hospital last month - I couldn't get out of bed and was in a£e for 8 hours - I touched the table, bed, ambulance etc and didn't wash my hands or sanitise because I was wasn't able to. I touched my face as I was crying a lot, touched my phone etc.

The chances are very small OP, calm down.

It’s far more likely to be transmitted directly than via surfaces.

I know the whole world is pretty crazy right now, but try and put it out of your mind.

Even 500 per 100,000 is half a percent. The vast, vast majority of people do not have Covid at any one time. Also people with symptoms will have been excluded from those hospital areas. Hospital surfaces are being cleaned regularly. The chance that you’ve even touched an infected surface is very small. So it’s more likely that you haven’t.

I work in a hospital and have touched dozens of surfaces every day since March and I've not had it (confirmed by multiple PCR and antibody tests as I'm part of a study). We didn't even have to wear masks til May! Try not to worry, unless you were licking door handles in the COVID ward then I think the risk is very low

OP I worked in a hospital for 9 months before catching the virus. The virus could be anywhere. 9 whole months of 12 hour shifts, examining patients, eating and drinking while on site, touching doors, lifts, all sorts of surfaces. Sleeping on site during night shifts even. Covering hundreds of patients a night and going to each and every ward, covid and non covid.

You're overthinking this.

@JigglyBoot

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?

Just calm down You are no more likely to have caught it in a Hospital setting than in a Supermarket, Bus or school.

Trust your immune system.

It is inevitable that one touches surfaces in daily life, and some ray machines, Mammograms for instance, you have to touch the blessed thing...I'm sure the staff clean down between patients.

Fear not.

Oh and I buy a coffee everyday using my pin. Didn't catch covid from that!

Two out of four family members tested positive (tested because of a care home visit). Me and daughter not tested but assume through no home precautions MUST have also caught it. No symptoms for either of us and even the positive tested members had very little other than the taste smell and tickly cough. Going for the antegen test soon to be sure.

@partyatthepalace

The chances are very small OP, calm down.

It’s far more likely to be transmitted directly than via surfaces.

I know the whole world is pretty crazy right now, but try and put it out of your mind.

Agree. Was in a supermarket this evening, and a person at the till coughed properly, Twice.

It caused people in the queue to recoil visibly, and step right back.

Thankfully the cougher was wearing a mask, so less of a blast of viral particles pluming out, {If they were infected} but aerosol particles with virus in them would be my fear.

Edit :The person on the till was protected by perspex screen, but non mask wearers spatter these screens with spittle spray , especially with the 'Plosives' of speech.
A shop owner said she never knew how much people spray when they speak until she saw the results on the screen.

You’re not stupid but you are anxious. I suspect you are transferring your anxiety onto something on which you can focus rather than your real worries. If you look at it logically, everything in the hospital will be cleaned frequently - far more than petrol pumps and supermarkets. Tomorrow, in the cold light of day think about what is really concerning you and work through it, perhaps with a good friend. I get these panics too so please don’t think I am patronising you. It is horrid.

@JigglyBoot
I used to get like this over Norovirus.

Utterly terrified {Emetophobe} as a child... But have learned to relax a bit more. I'd literally shake with fear if someone in assembly was sick.. 😂

I ran shrieking from the school dinner hall as someone had chundered in three big splatters...So I do understand.

Most likely you'll be fine. Take the recommended precautions but don't overthink it.

I suspect you will be fine. Unless you, upon sneezing, then proceeded to randomly lick your hand or something. Which I doubt.

1.7% of the population have caught this OP.

This sort of anxiety is scary OP. Please seek help.

I’ve worked full time in a hospital, on a ward throughout and I haven’t caught it: equipment/surfaces should of been cleaned prior and after your use.

You would be very unlucky to catch covid this way.