At Covid risk with son, DIL and Bub who visit and feel vulnerable

Well I don’t suppose many people when visiting go straight to the sink to wash ?? And I m not aware you carry the virus on your shoes nannyangel
I certainly don’t ask to go the kitchen sink if I visit anyone
If you’re out in the community and at work then your risks are the same as us all
Be very glad you ve got a family ti visit you once a week

Work and community is probably higher risk. Why do you think your family is greater risk than these scenarios? Have you told them you'd feel more comfortable if they washed their hands on arrival?

Thanks for that BlueBelle. Yes Covid exists on surfaces for days per WHO since 2020. I’m no orphan, we’re all in this and all tired of it as we know.Yes I’m very fortunate and grateful to have them visit etc I guess I feel more vulnerable when they come over because we don’t wear masks etc as we do out in the community or all my PPE as a HCW. Thanks Mandrake. No they won’t be doing anything if the sort they say. Just wondered if anyone felt the same. Ta. Have a good day.

I prefer visitors to take their shoes off as I have just had my carpets cleaned
If a visitor comes into my house and unknowingly have Covid as it’s airborne no amount of cleaning of hands ect is going to make any difference
I suspect the likelihood of them carrying the virus into my home on their hands is minuscule.

NannaAngel There is more to the WHO figures than meets the eye, and having read some of the scientific studies, the chances of you picking the disease up by contact is vanishingly small.

To begin with, you cannot get COVID from just one viral cell of COVID. Everyone's immune system can deal with an odd cell. if we did not have that capacity, the human race wouldn't have lasted long enough to develop.

You will have seen the phrase 'viral load' a lot since COVID. It means that you need to inhale a goodly load of viral cells to be infected.

COVID cells, like us, age. If someone breathes a load of fresh cells on you, you may well get COVID, but once that load of cells lands on a surface it starts to age and die, and while a few cells will stay on a surface for several days, their ability to multiply or transfer the disease, drops from the moment they land on the surface.

The WHO figures are based on lab-based conditions. I read a paper on this. Scientific experiments are done under very strict conditions that do not appertain to real life. The surfaces they use will be clinically clean, once contaminated with virus, the surfaces are kept in a sealed, cconditioned container. The scientists themselves, in their report expressed doubt as to whether their experiments would stand-up to real world conditions - and again, the fact that the viral cells 3 days, or whatever, doesn't mean they were capable of infecting anyone, after an hour or so, because they would be aging and dying.

If you want your family to wash their hands, just say so the moment they come in the door. 'Lovely to see you, now, all of you, off and wash your hands'.

I'm sorry they won't do something as simple as wash their hands to make you feel better. It's not a big ask.

MOnica, thanks for your detailed post. I hope it reassures NannaAngel.
I’m immuno suppressed, was told to isolate in those early days of covid. I do not want to be cut off from family, friends or socialising ever again.
I’ve twice recently been in close physical contact with someone who had covid. Both tested positive the day after we were together. I’d kept windows and doors open and no longer hug face to face. I m persuaded that the viral load information is correct. So far I’ve avoided this virus. I’ve been lucky and hope that continues.

Oh dear, that fear element does seem to be still very alive amongst a lot of people.

Virus's have always been around us - have you been so fearful in the past about influenza? I bet not.

You are so fortunate that you have family that visit you regularly, make them welcome and enjoy their time with you. As you go to work, you are probably as big a risk to them as they may be to you.

Why do you want them to take of their shoes - is it because you have light coloured carpets, etc -think that is reasonable, but not for any other reason.

Ask them to go to wash their hands - assuming you have a room near the front door for this to take place - or do you expect them to go upstairs for that. Again, is this for their benefit or yours.

As for wearing masks inside your home - TBH, I would find that extremely rude - told one of my grown up g.sons off for having his on when he visited - unless I can see someone's face I find it hard to hear what they are saying. If you keep your home well-aired - windows regularly open during these summer months, far better than wearing a small bit of material across the mouth.

I assume you are well vaccinated - and YES you may catch Covid - from work, from the community, from your family, from anyone, anywhere. You may catch flu in the same way, or a really bad cold, etc. etc. Our immune systems are set up to help us cope with these, aided by the boost from vaccines.

I am currently down with what my GP calls a severe bacterial infection. I have had it for a fortnight, have been, still are, really not very well. I am on my second round of antibiotics and after developing an abcess spent two days in hospital.

I say all this, not because I am looking for the sympathy vote, but to say, I have no idea how or where I picked it us. That is life. We are constantly assailled by a clouds of virus and bacteria, they also live all over us, including in our guts.

Yet before COVID we all went about our lives without masks, wipes, distancing etc etc and just accepted flu, colds, viral nfection, bacterial infections as part of life. Yes, you avoided them if you knew you had a week immune system, and people 'with a bug' would try to avoid infecting others, but that is an individual responsibility.

COVID was a pandemic. It is now endemic. We have just got to learn to live with it.

Nice post M0nica. Sorry you've been ill and hope you're feeling better soon.

NannaAngel - M0nica is right about viral loading. But if it will make you feel better tell them you want them to take their shoes off at the door and supply some slippers. Just say you are trying to stop dirt being trekked in. Take advantage of the outdoors when you can, especially if you have a garden, and have coffee outside. Open your windows whenever you can to let fresh air blow through. Most important - enjoy your family while you can, none of us knows what is around the corner.

Yes I m another who totally agrees with Monica
I have no fear of it although like flu, shingles, bad coughs colds, and gippy tummy I don’t particularly want it again I ve had it once one granddaughter had it three times, three of them had it twice and two had it once and one not had it at all All three of my children have had it I ve taken all my vaccines and wear a mask if asked other wise I live my life just as before and have done for a long time now.

In fact I might get slaughter for this but apart from anything like this thread I basically don’t think about it any more. It’s off my radar and has been for a long time

How about having a bottle of hand sanitiser on a table for guests to use when they come in ?

Get well soon M0nica

Bluebelle it is off my radar for living my life, and, although when I was in hospital they were still insisting on masks and testing for COVID every day, I have been visiting my GP's surgery and they no longer require us to wear a mask on the premises, nor does the local minor injuries out of hours service.

Other than reading about it on here it went off my radar many moons ago. Thank god for the voices of reason. You know who you are ??

I wouldn't say it is off my radar as I am very interested in the science itself, and still read about studies and findings. However, I haven't ever worried about it much since we got vaccinated (but neither MrA or myself are vulnerable), just done what I think I need to do to keep it at bay. Which has basically been to stay out of crowds indoors, wear a mask in public indoor spaces where there are lots of people milling around and get vaccinated.

It's not off my radar as a couple of neighbours, friends and a member of the family have it at the moment(some for the second time) although I haven't seen them.
The GP surgery still insists on mask wearing.
However, I refuse to live with anxiety although I'd be sensible, ust as I would if someone had flu or a rotten cold.

NannaAngel if you're out and about surely you're more likely to encounter Covid and pass it on to your DGC?
I'd be more worried abut passing it on to a baby than catching it from the baby.

If you're that worried you could ask them not to visit until Covid has disappeared altogether.

Prbaby until the Twelfth of Never.

Excuse typos

COVID will never disappear altogether. We have got to learn to live with it.

I have noticed people are getting COVID in my wider social group recently, but some would, wouldn't they, as COVID is now an endemic disease.

Yes it’s here to stay, you are right MOnica so we adapt and get on with getting on
I was at the eye hospital last weekend and you didn’t have to wear a mask nor did the staff I believe in the vaccines but don’t have much faith in the masks as most people don’t wear them correctly
2 assistants in my shop out of 30 are wearing them
It’s down to what makes you comfortable and I m comfortable just forgetting about it and I ve felt that way a good while now
I know it’s out there but I m no more afraid of it than any other virus