Could Christmas cards spread the virus?

Ellie666

Riverwalk. With regards to groceries, probably do what I have read some ridiculous people do, wipe every single thing before putting away and even washing every item of fruit and veg and I don't mean with just water. Give me a break something definitely wrong with people who do that.

That’s an incredibly unkind post. People are doing what they feel comfortable with and it’s hurting no one in comparison with posting unsubstantiated garbage that has the potential to cause real harm and anxiety.

I think that's highly unlikely, I've been sending (and received) birthday cards all year. We run our small business from home and we are 2 or 3 times busier than usual so we get several large boxes of goods delivered every day which we need to open, unpack, put away then pick and pack for dispatch asap. Also 2 members of the family work for us so it's perfectly legal for them to be here during working hours. We are very fortunate at a time when so many people are losing jobs and businesses but sometimes I would love some of the extra time many people have had, I'm 70 next year and retirement seems a distant dream.

NO. it has been found that the virus doesn't get spread that way as they originally feared. It is borne by droplets exhaled by speech and breathing and singing etc as well obviously as coughing and sneezing. but not by touch the fragment of RNA doesn't survive on surfaces by touch

Some people are probably still washing their shopping - sad really!

You could work yourself up into a state about this. Regardless of your views, why not just open the cards, put the envelopes into recycling, stand them all in one room/place, and wash your hands after handling. It’s cheery to see them..I think it’s easily resolved if you’re worried.

Going off tangent slightly. When I am on my checkout at supermarket, some people still! out of habit wet there fingers with their mouth and count out the notes, If this happens, I get out one of the small food bags and ask them to pop it in the bag.

Also people do put their cards in their mouths whilst rooting for something, these obviously go in the pin machine, unless contactless.

One thing I have always done is wiped all my cards when home.

Using atms or any pin machine could possibly be a high risk if you start thinking deeply enough.

The girls who empty the tills are then aware of the the notes) the do wear gloves in the cash office)

I work in a post office and I handle letters parcels money all day and neither I or any of my colleagues have caught the virus as of yet . Plus it’s taking around 2-4 days to deliver a card so hopefully if there is any virus it will be dead by then

I still wipe down all groceries coming into the house with a Milton solution. Post is opened, wrapping discarded and hands washed. Parcels from online shopping are opened and contents left for 3 days and packaging disposed of Again ritual hand washing. Have been doing this since beginning of lockdown so why would I stop now?

Me too.

It's not just licking the envelope its being sneezed on , or being touched by an infected person . Apparently the virus can survive for 72 hours on paper and card board . I spray all my parcels and mail when they are delivered , with a disenfectant spray . Just to be on the safe side .

Riverwalk. With regards to groceries, probably do what I have read some ridiculous people do, wipe every single thing before putting away and even washing every item of fruit and veg and I don't mean with just water. Give me a break something definitely wrong with people who do that.

No way

harrigran. What an absolute heap of rubbish.

My stepfather still quarantines everything that comes into the house for at least 72 hours but you really don't need to. As someone further upthread said, the viral load is minimal and you are unlikely to catch Covid this way. The viral load diminishes much quicker than scientists first thought and the scare mongering press published. It is noticeable that all the negative aspects from the media have not been cleared up now we have more information!

All post is sprayed at the sorting office anyway to kill the virus. Otherwise postal workers would be endangered

''let’s not make a drama out of a crisis'' but you wash your hands after opening a letter? Get real for Gods sake.

If you read it properly she wasn't talking about the stamp.

It's highly unlikely. I just wash my hands after dealing with post, just in case. Use common sense.

I open mail as it arrives and then wash hands. In the early days I was leaving it on the floor untouched for a couple of days then read that was unnecessary. That was just an occasional letter.

Considering cards often arrive in a flurry of 4 or 5 at a time they would need lifted and sat somewhere if you wanted to isolate them for a few days. So, once you’ve lifted them you might as well open them. Then wash hands and the job is done.

I live in supported accommodation and the tenancy support worker left me a note a couple of weeks ago to say that some of the tenants don't want to exchange Christmas cards because of the fear of the virus. I'm just playing it by ear - the ones who post a card through my door will get one back; don't want to put my neighbours in an awkward position by putting cards through everybody's door. The worker isn't allowed to say which tenants don't want cards because of the confidentiality. Does mean that I save money.

Rosieroe
How do you think Hospitals, Drs surgeries, schools, businesses etc etc are working?

Mixing with others inside at Christmas is far more hazardous than any remote chance of inhaling enough virus off Christmas post IMO.

I'm wondering why those who think there is a risk from mail/parcels would leave it around for days on end before dealing with it.

Isn't it best to open, discard envelope/wrappings then wash your hands and surfaces?

And how do you deal with grocery deliveries?

The information seems to have changed since the first lockdown in March when I did all the leaving paper/card/washing deliveries and shopping. It's unlikely card will hold the virus and even ordinary surfaces are no longer seen as high risk.
The key as BlueBelle and co all say, is wash your hands with soap and water, wash properly (sing happy birthday twice) then dry with a clean towel. Keep socially distanced and don't spend longer than 15 mins indoors with people you don't live with. (Christmas of course as we all know, the virus will have five days off )

Agree BlueBelle hand washing is the important thing. Don't lets over think everything as Pantglas said.