Isolating friend (other than shopping and dog walking) tests positive

How did she get tested if she wasn't seriously ill in hospital?

theretheredear this virus is not a BACTERIAL virus so most antibacterial wipes are not of any use Those with alcohol may be
Soap and water kills the virus because the virus is actually a weak chap but covered in a fatty protective layer the hot water and soap or washing up liquid froths up and kills the fat so consequently the virus .... inagine cleaning a drop of fat or grease that’s on a work surface

It is easy, in these febrile days, to think that if you feel ill, you have Covid-19.

I am been under the weather for the last 4 days. Except for a headache one morning my malaise did not share one sympton with Covid-19. But I must admit, as soon as I felt unwell my immediate reaction was: Covid-19? But I quickly realised that I didn't have one symptom in common with that illness, but it is one's first thought, even when you know you have been taking evey precaution to avoid infection.

I am completely back to normal today and about to go out for my daily exercise - a brisk walk.

I'm not sure how she got diagnosed. She's in Spain, although she's English. Telemedicine maybe?

OK. Disbelief if it makes you feel better. Doesn't alter my friends situation AT ALL. Or the concern of her friends and family who are unable to help her.

The worst bit is, she has a guest staying with her who got stuck there so she is having to try to isolate in her bedroom, while sharing a bathroom to avoid infecting him, too.

Not sure what her dog is doing now, either, while she's ill. She does have a balcony, so maybe it's doing its business out there.

OBVIOUSLY, the reason I posted is because she's someone that has followed the rules and still got ill. Doesn't make it less real.

I self isolated on my return from Egypt and was home for 2 weeks when lockdown began.
I then made one visit to the supermarket, wearing disposable gloves, kept well clear of everybody, washed thoroughly when I got home then 5 days later the symptoms started. I’ve had them all except a fever. Fortunately it was a very mild dose and only the cough remains. (I’m still home)
So......unless you, and everyone in your household remains at home and has no contact with anyone YOU ARE NOT SAFE.

So if you'd been in for 2 weeks BEFORE the supermarket Esspee?

Sorry, if was a typo.

Oh MOnica, you usually post such sense. But you might have had a mild dose and now you’re going to go out ?

She almost certainly picked up the virus from her shopping.

That said, I see many dog walkers keeping well apart but letting their dogs 'say hello' to each other (lots of licking and rubbing against each other).
It's not beyond the realms of possibility that an infected owner can transfer the virus to their dog's fur through coughing, sneezing or touch, then contact between that dog and another dog while out could result in some transfer to that dog, whose owner could then become infected when he or she then strokes it.

Dettol wipes kill viruses.
Just had to go and check the pack I have, as I was using them few weeks ago when I was still going to the Supermarket.
Luckily my Daughter and Grandchildren shop for me now.

Sounds as though Spain is doing more testing that we are..

I am still slightly confused about isolating.
DH had the Government letter recently saying he must completely shield for 12 weeks. I thought I should do the same or I would be exposing us both to an avoidable risk.
So far, So good.
We are luckier than some and have friends who are delivering a phoned through food order, from our community shop, and we pay on line.

The Government don't know we have this luxury.
All the 5 page letter says is he should register to be eligible for priority online deliveries from supermarkets.
There's a website and a telephone number.

I feel very sorry for those who live alone and don't have access to a computer or a mobile phone. and from what I hear, on gransnet, there are no short cuts to supermarket slots.
It's like trying to find a disabled parking bay at the hospital in "normal" times.

Callistemom
Of course antibacterial wipes will kill a virus, even soap & water kills the virus.. Why do you think it won't?

Perhaps because it is a virus and not bacteria, theretheredear.
Basic biology.

Please don't rely on antibacterial wipes to keep you safe from the virus.

ps
theretheredear
Soap, proper tablet soap, not the stuff in handwash bottles, does not kill the virus, but if you wash your hands properly with soap, the virus sticks to the fats in the soap and washes away when you rinse your hands.
^Soap doesn't kill germs on our hands, it removes them.
Germs stick to the oils and grease on our hands . Water alone won't remove much of the germs on our hands because water and oil don't like each other, so they won't mix. But soap likes both water and oil. That's because soap molecules are a type of surfactant, which means they have one end that's water loving, or hydrophilic, and one end that's oil loving, or hydrophobic.

When you wash your hands with soap, the soap molecules act as a mediator between the water and oil molecules, and bind with both of them at the same time. Then when you rinse everything off, the soap carries away the germs with the water.

Hope that helps.

if you phone NHS 111 .you can get a swab test done. I heard it in the options when i phoned for dental advice........

I have been walking daily round about, keeping at least 2m away from people, crossing the road when someone comes near, not seen anyone, not touched anything, and I had a streaming cold two days ago. How on earth did I get it? Daughter thinks a cold bug might have been blowing around in the wind! If it's that easy to catch a cold, what about this virus?

That's worrying, hope the friend gets better.

I've just done a small top up shop at a Sainsburys local, skimmed milk, cheese, loaf of bread, some rocket plus a couple of Easter Eggs for my grandchildren as they were abundant and in one's face. To be dropped off without us having contact.

The shop is fairly small, it wasn't crowded when I went in, but got more so when I got to the self service till. There was a mother with 2 children, aged about 8ish, she had brought them in with her which is a shame because together they would have been very visible if they had waited outside. It seems they didn't understand distancing, not at all, several people including myself had to tell them they were too close, they came right up beside me when I was paying.

I know there was a report of a mother recently who had to take her young child to a supermarket and was told to leave him outside which I thought was awful, particularly as it was a large shop and he would have been on his own, the person marshalling should have used some discretion in that case. However, in this instance, the children imo should not have been in the shop.

There are other viruses doing the round, too Gagajo

Influenza A, Influenza B, H1N1 (which is a sub-type of A)

Unless someone has a test, they cannot be sure they have had COVID19

kaz59, have you explored all the options to get somebody else to do (or collect) your shopping?

Are there relatives or neighbours who'd help? If not, there are many community volunteers, in most areas, who will.

If you can't get a delivery slot there's often click and collect available. The risks with shopping will increase over the coming month or so.

She could have picked the virus up from any mail being delivered.
The virus can last on paper & cardboard for over 24 hours.
So you don’t have to leave your house at all to potentially pick up the virus.

Anyone that remembers this thread, my friend is starting to feel better now. Out of bed and eating, although still very weak. She's young-ish (not 40 yet) so has youth on her side.

Apologies @GagaJo. as you didn’t reply directly to me (using @) I had no idea you had asked a question of me.

As I said in my post I self isolated on my return from holiday (which involved staying home and having no contact with anybody) for two weeks then lockdown was imposed. The day after lockdown I decided to stock up and that was my only visit outside. Five days later the symptoms started.
I was careful when out. Wore disposable gloves, kept my distance, washed thoroughly on my return.......
For those who are vulnerable please stay home and do NOT allow anyone into your home.