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Walk with friend for 25 mins now tested positive

244 replies

R1234567 · 10/01/2021 18:33

Hi all,

Just after some advice, I went for a walk with my friend for about 25 mins, prob at 1m distance who tested positive the next day. What do you think the chances are of infection?

OP posts:
OverTheRainbow88 · 11/01/2021 11:20

No one know for certain, everyone is guessing at best.

Nameandgamechange123 · 11/01/2021 11:27

I really don't see how calculating chance is going to do anything for you. If you get it, you get it. Wait for symptoms and then get a test. You are not going to be any more or any less ill if you panick about it!

BungleandGeorge · 11/01/2021 11:30

The evidence says low risk, vital particles are rapidly dispersed outside. If you didn’t talk facing each other lower risk than if you stood opposite chatting

LastTrainEast · 11/01/2021 11:53

@R1234567

Hi all,

Just after some advice, I went for a walk with my friend for about 25 mins, prob at 1m distance who tested positive the next day. What do you think the chances are of infection?

Probably not terribly high so you should try again tomorrow.
CaptainMyCaptain · 11/01/2021 11:57

[quote Ch3rish]They aren't
Stop spreading lies

You can exercise with 1 person

Did you miss this @JinglingHellsBells, the police might be wrong but they have issued at least 2 fines

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-55547302[/quote]
They have had to admit they were wrong and rescind the fines.

SunKeepsShining · 11/01/2021 11:58

Friend shared this.
Of course you need to isolate at 1m.
Outside isn’t magic, it still spreads. Especially walking and talking for 25mins!

Walk with friend for 25 mins now tested positive
Grobagsforever · 11/01/2021 12:05

WHO guidelines haven't changed, risk of transmission outside is tiny.

Waspnest · 11/01/2021 12:09

He said outside transmission was low.

Where did he say that? I read that he said the risk of transmission from a brief contact like a passing jogger was very low but in situations like queues, and market stalls the risk was such that people should consider wearing masks. And then he said that more importantly people should avoid unnecessary contact with people outside their households (which must surely include walks with friends).

Waspnest · 11/01/2021 12:11

Probably not terribly high so you should try again tomorrow.

Grin
puffinkoala · 11/01/2021 12:13

On the BBC website today:

Ministers should focus on indoor mixing - Sage scientist
Ministers met over the weekend to discuss how to enforce the current lockdown measures in England more strictly - and whether even tighter restrictions may be needed.

Lucy Yardley, a professor of health psychology at the Universities of Bristol and Southampton, said while there was more activity taking place now than during the first national lockdown in March, this was not necessarily because people were not obeying the rules.

"I think it’s more that people are being allowed to do more and so they are," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Asked what changes would make the biggest difference, Prof Yardley, who participates in the government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, said the focus should be on places where the virus spreads more easily - such as in the home, in educational settings and at work.

“I think the really important thing to realise is that not very much infection spreads outside the home at all so clamping down on people exercising outside is not likely to affect infection spread," she said.

“There’s a huge difference between indoors and outdoors - and as long as people keep their social distance that’s a much less risky situation."

Delatron · 11/01/2021 12:17

Well exactly @puffinkoala

‘The really important thing to realise is that not very much infection spreads outside the home’.

They wouldn’t take away outdoors exercise there’s no evidence for that.

EmmaGrundyForPM · 11/01/2021 12:21

@BuntysTwinkle

Your friend was really irresponsible to meet you when she was waiting for the results of a covid test.
not if the friend is being tested weekly as part of her job
Waspnest · 11/01/2021 12:22

and as long as people keep their social distance that’s a much less risky situation.

I think the problem is that people aren't keeping their social distance. They think that being outside automatically makes a situation safe. In June/July time when levels of infection were low I went for a walk with friends (oh for the days when 20 cases in 100,000 were considered too high) now with cases through the roof and a more transmissible variant I wouldn't dream of doing that.

SlothMama · 11/01/2021 12:24

High, you should be isolating and booking in for a test.

MrsMiaWallis · 11/01/2021 12:25

I'd say high.

As a PP said, outside isn't magic, it doesn't kill the virus.

Delatron · 11/01/2021 12:28

Why high when you’ve heard many experts say outside transmission is low? Why do you know more than scientists?

Ch3rish · 11/01/2021 12:30

@MrsMiaWallis

I'd say high.

As a PP said, outside isn't magic, it doesn't kill the virus.

Chris Whitty was quite clear this morning that the risk outside is low, why do you think he's wrong?
Waspnest · 11/01/2021 12:31

TRANSMISSION IS ONLY LOW IF YOU SOCIALLY DISTANCE. WHICH THE OP SAYS SHE DIDN'T DO!

RedskyAtnight · 11/01/2021 12:35

@Delatron

Why high when you’ve heard many experts say outside transmission is low? Why do you know more than scientists?
Experts never say things like "outside transmission is low". It's always caveated.

Things we know

  1. Transmission outside is lower than transmission inside but not non-existent (thought to be 5-10% risk with the old variant in summer)
  2. Transmission is higher when temperatures are cold (true at the moment)
  3. The new variant is more transmissable (most likely that is the variant that friend has)
  4. They were walking 1m apart so comparatively close. I suspect OP might have overestimated this and they were actually closer.
  5. They were walking and talking so likely to have looked in each other's direction at least occasionally. This increases the chance of transmission as opposed to just standing 1m apart for 25 minutes.

I don't know what the exact risk is. But I know if I was given that risk for my car breaking down when I was driving it, I wouldn't be too keen on driving the car.

MrsMiaWallis · 11/01/2021 12:39

@Waspnest

TRANSMISSION IS ONLY LOW IF YOU SOCIALLY DISTANCE. WHICH THE OP SAYS SHE DIDN'T DO!
This!
Ch3rish · 11/01/2021 12:39

@Waspnest

TRANSMISSION IS ONLY LOW IF YOU SOCIALLY DISTANCE. WHICH THE OP SAYS SHE DIDN'T DO!
This bmj article

www.bmj.com/content/370/bmj.m3223

includes

*A systematic review commissioned by the World Health Organization attempted to analyse physical distancing measures in relation to coronavirus transmission.36 Physical distancing of

Waspnest · 11/01/2021 12:40

RedskyAtnight

Thank you for putting it rationally. The misinterpretation of information on here must be sending my usually low blood pressure through the roof.

MrsMiaWallis · 11/01/2021 12:42

@Delatron

Why high when you’ve heard many experts say outside transmission is low? Why do you know more than scientists?
Duh!!!!

It's low outside if you socially distance as the viral load can be dissipated in the air. If you are near enough for someone to breathe on you for 25 mins then of course the risk is high.

Being indoors in an unventilated room means the virus can hang around more easily than outside

CW means its low outside because he assumes people are socially distancing outside.

MrsMiaWallis · 11/01/2021 12:43

Ch3rish

That isn't a report about the new more transmissible mutation

Waspnest · 11/01/2021 12:44

That bmj article was published in August, well before the new variant was identified and well before cases were going through the roof.