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Covid

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Original poster

Does dropping off a letter constitute close contact

21 replies

Whatwouldscullydo · 19/04/2021 08:05

Neighbour dropped off some mis delivered post at weekend.

Both passed/took at a distance. Them outside stepped back from door and me inside stepped back from door.

Literally just a couple of seconds

Very little talking and what there was , was done as they were walking away so well outside a metre well outside 2 m in fact.

But we have obviously Both touched the letter ( which would have been case even if they shoved it through the letter box)

I got a message from them yesterday evening to say they tested positive ( assuming LF yest as he said he would get another presumably pcr test today)

I haven't been contacted by the nhs yet. Dd1 and I Both took LFs this morning before she headed off to school and Both negative.

Would it count as a close contact and I need to SI ?

OP posts:

jellyfishinatent · 19/04/2021 08:06

No, you're fine

Original poster

Whatwouldscullydo · 19/04/2021 08:11

Oh thank god. I mean obviously my main concern is that him and his family r ok. I'm.far more likely to catch it from work I'd have thought but if I need to make arrangements to get dd2 to school then.....

I wasn't sure how the contacting worked. Website talks only realky about being contacted by TnT or the NHS. As the LF are self reported that obviously means that they can either take and not tell anyone ( unlikely as he told me) or that he's told them everything and I don't count. But I won't know which will I

OP posts:

OpheliasCrayon · 19/04/2021 08:19

No, otherwise royal mail would be screwed!

TomHardyAndMe · 19/04/2021 08:21

It’s only considered contact by TTP if less than a metre for a minute or more or 1-2 metres for 15 minutes.

GintyMcGinty · 19/04/2021 08:22

You are fine. Here's how the gov.uk website defines a close contact

•	anyone who lives in the same household as another person who has COVID-19 symptoms or has tested positive for COVID-19
•	anyone who has had any of the following types of contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19:
•	face-to-face contact including being coughed on or having a face-to-face conversation within one metre
•	been within one metre for one minute or longer without face-to-face contact
•	been within 2 metres of someone for more than 15 minutes (either as a one-off contact, or added up together over one day)

Original poster

Whatwouldscullydo · 19/04/2021 08:23

Deffo was just a few seconds of an interaction. Most if which was as they walked away.

OP posts:

FlyingBurrito · 19/04/2021 08:29

I'n the nicest possible way I despair if the message hasn't got across after all this time.

Look around, all shops are open, fans have started to go back to sporting events, outside gatherings are going on all over the place. Would that be happening if the 2 seconds to hand over a letter is something that T and T are tracking down?

OpheliasCrayon · 19/04/2021 08:35

@FlyingBurrito

I'n the nicest possible way I despair if the message hasn't got across after all this time.

I agree I don't know how this isn't understood by now

greenlynx · 19/04/2021 08:41

Have you washed your hands after touching the letter?

SavingsQuestions · 19/04/2021 08:44

I'd get some lateral flow tests if you havent already as anyone can test now - and just test regularly to be sure. (As we all can anyway)

Original poster

Whatwouldscullydo · 19/04/2021 08:46

I dont remember. Maybe. Maybe not.

I read the website and it did mention having a face to face conversation which I assumed " oh hi, thanks " " no problem" would kind of constitute. And one also mentioned any skin to skin contact and sharing a surface and I dont think I touched his hand taking the letter but technically it would be considered a surface?

OP posts:

Original poster

Whatwouldscullydo · 19/04/2021 08:47

I took a test this morning with dd amd that was negative

OP posts:

IdblowJonSnow · 19/04/2021 08:47

No. Chances are you'll be fine.
However I would do a test and then you'll be sure and can stop worrying!
I test weekly at the moment.

SavingsQuestions · 19/04/2021 08:50

Ah yes I did reread you'd got tests. Just test twice weekly ti be sure and reassure yourself and don't worry!

Original poster

Whatwouldscullydo · 19/04/2021 08:55

Given the number of MNetters cleaning their shopping and the trolly clean stations set up I'm supermarkets theb clearly surface contamination is a concern so what's what's difference here

OP posts:

Original poster

Whatwouldscullydo · 19/04/2021 08:55

Shops are quarantining returns too

OP posts:

Signalbox · 19/04/2021 09:19

It’s only considered contact by TTP if less than a metre for a minute or more or 1-2 metres for 15 minutes.

That would be considered to be close contact but there is also direct contact which is face to face contact (including being coughed on or having a face to face conversation within one meter) and that can be for any length of time.

The tracing definitions of contact are quite specific OP and it’ll depend on what you neighbour tells the contact tracer. Most very brief contact (under a minute) you wouldn’t be considered to be a contact so long as you weren’t coughed on or didn’t have face to face conversation within a meter distance.

nordica · 19/04/2021 09:44

The government has really focused on hand washing as a "covid safety" measure but scientific evidence now seems to point towards aerosol transmission being much more likely to infect someone. Surface contamination is not considered a big risk. Obviously if someone had coughed onto something and you touched it right away and licked your hand then it may be an issue but something like touching a letter is really a very tiny risk.

FlyingBurrito · 19/04/2021 16:41

@Whatwouldscullydo

Given the number of MNetters cleaning their shopping and the trolly clean stations set up I'm supermarkets theb clearly surface contamination is a concern so what's what's difference here

That doesn't follow.

Shops have cleaning stations to keep customers happy not because there is any real life risk of catching covid from a trolley.

www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-00251-4

poppycat10 · 19/04/2021 17:59

All the surface cleaning and quarantining is covid theatre, OP. It makes zero difference to transmission levels.

You are genuinely fine. If you weren't, the postal service would grind to a halt. I know it's not been great at times, but it is still operating!

Original poster

Whatwouldscullydo · 19/04/2021 18:11

Ha covid theatre . Love it

Yes you are right I mean no ones called me about a pizza delivery person testing positive and that all take longer than grabbing some post.

No one coughed in my face either.

I think I've already had it anyway. I know u can catch it twice but I shall carry on as normal.safe in the knowledge that if I didn't stand and chat or get within a metre I shouldn't be contacted ...

Just as well it's school tomorrow and I have a date with a line of duty re watch and a slow cooker.

OP posts:

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