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Original poster

When people say they have no idea how they got it...

202 replies

Partedinsurprise · 29/01/2021 22:09

I see this all the time on MN as well as on social media - people saying they have no idea how they could possibly have got covid because they haven't been anywhere or seen anyone. Then it turns out they have been to the supermarket/post office/for a hospital appointment/live with someone who works outside the home etc etc. Are people who genuinely haven't left the house other than for walks outside when they are socially distanced from others really testing positive? Or do people think "I haven't been anywhere or seen anyone" doesn't include the supermarket and so on?

BTW this is not me criticising anyone for going going the supermarket or whatever, I'm just struggling to comprehend the sheer number of people who are adamant they've caught it despite not leaving the house. I think I keep as safe as I can - I get all my food shopping delivered, I live in a busy area so I tend to wear a mask when outside, both DH and I wfh and our DS is not at school. However if I caught it I don't think I would be baffled - I was in the chemist the other day picking up some antibiotics, sometimes it is impossible for me to stay 2m away from people outside unless I walk into traffic...and so on.

I'm just wondering which it is: are people genuinely getting it when they haven't left the house and have only been for walks when they were SD the entire time, OR are people genuinely surprised they are getting it despite supermarket trips and so on because they think if masked and distanced you can't catch it?

OP posts:
hobbyiscodefordogging · 29/01/2021 22:49

You're extremely unlikely to get it from fleetingly passing someone when out walking or having a runner go past you - obviously we can't say it's impossible but the chance is extremely remote.

I don't currently have close contact with anyone I don't live with. But my children are still going to school and my husband is still going to work, so... 🤷🏻‍♀️ that's how I think it would arrive with us, if it did.

Dreamerbeame · 29/01/2021 22:50

You're extremely unlikely to get it from fleetingly passing someone when out walking or having a runner go past you - obviously we can't say it's impossible but the chance is extremely remote.

but is it that remote given all the people insistent that's the only way they could have got it

bombaychef · 29/01/2021 22:52

I'm the same. We are both at work and Uber careful but DC in school. People do also invade space so I'm sure I'll get it

LegoAndLolDolls · 29/01/2021 22:57

I now think I caught it from some asymptomatic in my house. I do click and collect.

I did go the bank a day before I lost my taste and smell, and been around my mum who was admitted into A&E over night about two weeks before that. My mum had no symptoms either.

Track and trace weren't interested in either of those two time periods. So I either caught it around two weeks before I lost my taste or a day before symptoms or from someone asymptomatic in my house. I wasnt anywhere else with anyone else in between

TryingNotToPanicOverCovid · 29/01/2021 22:58

I would think outdoir transmission is remote but must be possible. We really haven't done anything other tha walk outdoors.

I think if kids in school or going to supermarket its high risk - but still a lottery as you may not pass people who have it etc.

LadyStarlight · 29/01/2021 22:59

I honestly don't know how we got it. We've had no direct contact with family or friends since last year, always wear masks, hand sanitize when out at the shop, and even sanitise shopping baskets/trolleys before use. Contactless payments only and no home deliveries. Don't use public transport. I wfh and DC have been homeschooled throughout, and we only go out to walk the dogs. But here we are with positive results!

Dreamerbeame · 29/01/2021 23:02

always wear masks, hand sanitize when out at the shop, and even sanitise shopping baskets/trolleys before use

You got it at the shop then surely. Masks etc not failsafe.

TryingNotToPanicOverCovid · 29/01/2021 23:02

Lady I imagine shopping. Its airborne and masks dont really protect so if you've been indoors near anyone with it you could have picked it up there.

LadyStarlight · 29/01/2021 23:06

No I know masks aren't fail safe but we go late in the evening and there's perhaps half a dozen people spread out in the entire supermarket! Yet last year when lockdown lifted and shops were heaving again we avoided it? Really makes no sense.

Dreamerbeame · 29/01/2021 23:08

It's just luck of the draw, you happened to be in a shop this time with someone who had it and last time you weren't

LadyStarlight · 29/01/2021 23:09

Well it is what it is. I would've imagined we'd had more chance of catching it when lockdown lifted last year and we were shopping regularly in the city centre than on a quiet Monday night at 10pm in a little supermarket, but there you go 🤷🏻‍♀️

TryingNotToPanicOverCovid · 29/01/2021 23:12

But covid is far far higher in the population in most places now than then.

There's an article "a bar a classroom and a cafe" or something similar that showed how quickly it can spread in a room indoors. It meant we avoided indoors. Id say it was obvious it was the supermarket and I guess the point of the thread that people that truly havent been indoors with anyone like myself when they say they havent a clue are quite unusual.

hobbyiscodefordogging · 29/01/2021 23:12

@Dreamerbeame

You're extremely unlikely to get it from fleetingly passing someone when out walking or having a runner go past you - obviously we can't say it's impossible but the chance is extremely remote.

but is it that remote given all the people insistent that's the only way they could have got it

Who are "all the people"? There's no evidence that people are contracting it this way - on the contrary, the evidence supports how remote this risk is.

It's far more likely that they just haven't accurately recalled all their actions from the preceding 7-10 days.

TryingNotToPanicOverCovid · 29/01/2021 23:13

I hope you are okay though. Im less ill than I imagined I would be.

And even half wondering if I caught it ages ago and it was still in me or something...

Dreamerbeame · 29/01/2021 23:15

I would've imagined we'd had more chance of catching it when lockdown lifted last year

When lockdown lifted it would've been the safest time really as that's when cases were lowest

RadioPlatform · 29/01/2021 23:16

This is such a good post OP - and some of the posts demonstrate your point exactly!

SunsetSenora · 29/01/2021 23:17

@Partedinsurprise

I see this all the time on MN as well as on social media - people saying they have no idea how they could possibly have got covid because they haven't been anywhere or seen anyone. Then it turns out they have been to the supermarket/post office/for a hospital appointment/live with someone who works outside the home etc etc. Are people who genuinely haven't left the house other than for walks outside when they are socially distanced from others really testing positive? Or do people think "I haven't been anywhere or seen anyone" doesn't include the supermarket and so on?

BTW this is not me criticising anyone for going going the supermarket or whatever, I'm just struggling to comprehend the sheer number of people who are adamant they've caught it despite not leaving the house. I think I keep as safe as I can - I get all my food shopping delivered, I live in a busy area so I tend to wear a mask when outside, both DH and I wfh and our DS is not at school. However if I caught it I don't think I would be baffled - I was in the chemist the other day picking up some antibiotics, sometimes it is impossible for me to stay 2m away from people outside unless I walk into traffic...and so on.

I'm just wondering which it is: are people genuinely getting it when they haven't left the house and have only been for walks when they were SD the entire time, OR are people genuinely surprised they are getting it despite supermarket trips and so on because they think if masked and distanced you can't catch it?

My sister is like this. But has been going to the supermarket pretty much every day. Duh! Sorry for the people who genuinely get it without going out at all, but I bet a lot are like my sis and go out far more than they want to admit.
TryingNotToPanicOverCovid · 29/01/2021 23:17

Hobby Im one of "all those people." Although I don't personally know of any others. On mn they're often "oh I only went to the shops/saw a friend."

I can recall as we don't leave the house apart from for walks and I've a calendar sheet with where all those walks have been in January (tracking for exercise) and my one appointment was just over 3 weeks before I teated positive. I also didn't send my child to school in Jan so I know for sure who went out when.

I've even wondered about a false positive. I would love to retest. I have a tight chest and a cough and fatigue though but imagined I would be worse. I was very ill last March and either had it or asthma excacerbation that I couldn't go into hospitsl for. I would have been v unlucky to get it twice though so maybe that was just asthma. What I have now seems mild in comparison.

I can't work it out at all.

Kazzyhoward · 29/01/2021 23:18

@TryingNotToPanicOverCovid

I'm one of them. We shielded last year for the first few months as I initially thought Id be on the list for asthma.

I have it now and no idea how. We have been on daily walks (usually me and a child) and had supermarket and amazon deliveries. We've avoided supermarkets since last March, avoided people etc etc

Contact tracer said he hears 2-3 stories like mine a day

Did you wipe down or isolate your deliveries and post?
LadyStarlight · 29/01/2021 23:20

@TryingNotToPanicOverCovid I'm glad you're not too bad with it. We're doing ok, just a heavy cold for the DC and they're mostly back to normal tbh. I had aches, brain fog and headache, and a mild cough. The lack of taste and smell is the worst bit as it's put me off eating!

Kazzyhoward · 29/01/2021 23:20

@LadyStarlight

Well it is what it is. I would've imagined we'd had more chance of catching it when lockdown lifted last year and we were shopping regularly in the city centre than on a quiet Monday night at 10pm in a little supermarket, but there you go 🤷🏻‍♀️
Lockdown was lifted because case numbers were tiny, so you'd have been very unlucky to get near one of the very few who were infected.
Fleurchamp · 29/01/2021 23:21

I read an interesting article on the Guardian website - it basically said the reason the virus is still spreading is because people play down the "small" risks they are taking. "Just" popping to the shop, "just" going for a walk with a friend but not keeping 2m social distancing etc. We just don't want to admit that we took a risk and caught it.

My BIL got Covid over Christmas. He had only been out once the week before - for a work "meeting" (aka Christmas party 🙄) but it was definitely the train where he caught it because no one else who was there has said they had a positive test.

Not saying I am perfect btw! I do my best but I can see how I could catch it.

Original poster
Partedinsurprise · 29/01/2021 23:21

I guess I'm wondering how many people actually get it from deliveries and post etc, as surely if that was a common transmission route our cases wouldn't be dropping even in lockdown.

I maintain I wouldn't be surprised if I got it if I was regularly going to a supermarket. That must be one of the most common ways to pick it up surely.

OP posts:
TryingNotToPanicOverCovid · 29/01/2021 23:21

No. We did for months last year but read that it was highly unlikely to be on things touched (if you wash hands etc) and far more likely through air.

I don't want to start everyone washing evrything again. Although it has occured to me. Surely if it was thru touch nearly everyone would have it by now.

I'm thinking I was too close to someone walking. We've walked a couple of hours a day. I'd tried to avoid pavements (cant do 2m on a pavement) but have been on walks on the beach etc.

Original poster
Partedinsurprise · 29/01/2021 23:21

BTW to say again this is not meant to be berating people for going out!!!

OP posts: