COVID-19 Freedom day, how do you feel about it?

[Wiebke]

Yeah I had someone tell me that too but then he doesn’t believe COVID is a big deal, fell out with his family Over it and refuses to wear a mask…. So I didn’t believe him.

so do you now just buy stuff and no longer wash your hands? I would love to buy milk and use it without worrying about washing my hands every time I touch the bottle ^^;;

While the risk of catching Covid by touch is small since the virus load that comes with it generally is too small to cause an acute infection, I do still give milk bottle handles and screw tops as well as any smooth goods surfaces used within 3 days or stored in a cold enviroment a quick wipe with F10 (I use the concentrate, so I just make a fairly diluted solution in an old spray bottle that I also use for cage cleaning) when I unpack and put them away.
This makes any further repeated use very safe; which was a major consideration before both of us had our jabs since hub hasn't exactly got a concept for hygiene but is at a higher risk level due to age/underlying health issues. The best way was to ensure that he had as little direct contact with the virus as possible. He does the driving and door opening while I do any in-store shopping (as little as possible), click and collect shopping transfer and disinfecting at home so he doesn't come into direct contact with anything carried in until it is 'safe'.

Having got as far as this without catching Covid, I personally see no reason to suspend common sense and not continue with the basic measures of distancing, mask wearing and hand washing (disinfecting my hands when I take off the mask and put it away), when coming home and again after having put everything away) as well as sticking to quiet hours and safer outdoors alternatives (like continuing to pick up prepaid supermarket and pet supplies outside the shop) whenever possible to not just keep us safe but others, too.

I am definitely in the group erring on the cautious side; and there is nothing wrong with that! Times are stressful enough so doing what makes you feel safer will help to keep your stress levels lower.

 

[Julesie]

While the risk of catching Covid by touch is small since the virus load that comes with it generally is too small to cause an acute infection, I do still give milk bottle handles and screw tops as well as any smooth goods surfaces used within 3 days or stored in a cold enviroment a quick wipe with F10 (I use the concentrate, so I just make a fairly diluted solution in an old spray bottle that I also use for cage cleaning) when I unpack and put them away.
This makes any further repeated use very safe; which was a major consideration before both of us had our jabs since hub hasn't exactly got a concept for hygiene but is at a higher risk level due to age/underlying health issues. The best way was to ensure that he had as little direct contact with the virus as possible. He does the driving and door opening while I do any in-store shopping (as little as possible), click and collect shopping transfer and disinfecting at home so he doesn't come into direct contact with anything carried in until it is 'safe'.

Having got as far as this without catching Covid, I personally see no reason to suspend common sense and not continue with the basic measures of distancing, mask-wearing and hand washing (disinfecting my hands before I take off and put it away), when coming home and again after having put everything away) as well as sticking to quiet hours and safer outdoors alternatives (like continuing to pick up prepaid supermarket and pet supplies outside the shop) whenever possible to not just keep us safe but others, too.

I am definitely in the group erring on the cautious side; and there is nothing wrong with that! Times are stressful enough so doing what makes you feel safer will help to keep your stress levels lower.

Thank you I’ve been washing my hands after handling milk etc but I hadn’t been sure if I was overdoing it.
My mother who is very into mask wearing isn’t fussed with the touch side of things and so it’s been stressful to me, not touching anything she’s touched, but she hasn’t caught COVID recently (she did have it suspected in early March 2020) so I’ve been confused why she’s fine.
I era on the side of caution/paranoia more.

 

[Eriathwen]

I was very glad the 3 or so times ive been anywhere shopping, going to the vets etc since 'freedom day' to see that pretty much every single person has continued to wear their masks.

I have my first 'event' on Saturday since all this started, an organised 5km park run/race kind of thing..I'm a little apprehensive as I'm not yet double jabbed, but I did get a text today to let me know I can bring my second dose forward as soon as I can get an available booking, it was originally booked for 21st of August! I will be wearing my mask right up until the starting line though even with it being outside.

I dont see me giving up the mask until at least next spring. I'd be absolutely gutted if I got anyone sick, having had covid in Feb 2020 I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy and I had it pretty mildly compared to what it could have been.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you I’ve been washing my hands after handling milk etc but I hadn’t been sure if I was overdoing it.
My mother who is very into mask wearing isn’t fussed with the touch side of things and so it’s been stressful to me, not touching anything she’s touched, but she hasn’t caught COVID recently (she did have it suspected in early March 2020) so I’ve been confused why she’s fine.
I era on the side of caution/paranoia more.

You are at a VERY low risk of catching anything from anybody by touch; door handle examination in buildings with lots of traffic (like schools where handles have been touched by over 30 people in quick succession) has found a surprisingly low load of virus particles when this area was more closely researched during the winter months. It was one of the many government research studies on various areas affecting the decisions made or the advice given re. lockdown reopening and jab priorities etc. Research into transmission routes has been very much part of that.

The virus is overwhelmingly transmitted by breathing in the virus load - and it takes more than just one or a fragment to start the infection; hence why you get pinged only if you have been in close proximity to an infected person for 15 minutes. That is why the highest risk of transmission is in closed spaces in close proximity, bad ventilation and/or in areas with lots of loud speaking/singing/dancing in a large crowd where the virus particle cloud in the air can really build up etc.

You can order free flow tests via your pharmacy (twice weekly ones) if you are worried about yourself and/or your mother. Your mother is totally right in concentrating on the mask wearing. If enough people do it, it really helps to cut down massively on the infection transmission.
I hope that this does help to ease your mind?

 

[Julesie]

You are at a VERY low risk of catching anything from anybody by touch; door handle examination in buildings with lots of traffic (like schools where handles have been touched by over 30 people in quick succession) has found a surprisingly low load of virus particles when this area was more closely researched during the winter months. It was one of the many government research studies on various areas affecting the decisions made or the advice given re. lockdown reopening and jab priorities etc. Research into transmission routes has been very much part of that.

The virus is overwhelmingly transmitted by breathing in the virus load - and it takes more than just one or a fragment to start the infection; hence why you get pinged only if you have been in close proximity to an infected person for 15 minutes. That is why the highest risk of transmission is in closed spaces in close proximity, bad ventilation and/or in areas with lots of loud speaking/singing/dancing in a large crowd etc.

You can order free flow tests via your pharmacy (twice weekly ones) if you are worried about yourself and/or your mother. Your mother is totally right in concentrating on the mask wearing. If enough people do it, it really helps to cut down massively on the infection transmission.
I hope that this does help to ease your mind?

Thank you. It actually helps a lot. I really appreciate it

 

[eileen]

i wore my mask today whilst food shopping .most of the store assistants and public did not wear masks.i felt alittle angry ! the government has sent out very mixed messages.

 

[Wiebke]

i wore my mask today whilst food shopping .most of the store assistants and public did not wear masks.i felt alittle angry ! the government has sent out very mixed messages.

I fully agree! That's why we are sticking to our Covid routine and avoid going into indoors situations or where there are any crowds as much as possible until this wave has run its due course.

What the government has not considered by letting it rampage freely through the population is how much it could impact on services and supplies lines, though, if there is a big spike but a shorter duration.

 

[Merab]

I was pleasantly surprised to see how many people were still wearing masks in the supermarket this week, including staff.

 

[CrestedPiggies]

I work in a shop and the majority of customers still wear masks. However with this weather, and it being a fully glass fronted high street shop which gets the sun all day, with no air con, I struggled to wear mine for long when I was in on Monday and Tuesday. It's like working in a greenhouse! So I removed mine if I was behind the perspex screens on the till.

I'll still continue to wear a mask when shopping or in crowded places for the foreseeable future. I got a text a few days ago telling me I could bring my second vaccination forward, but there's no availability at the vaccination centre I'll keep checking though

 

[Black piggies]

I work in a shop and the majority of customers still wear masks. However with this weather, and it being a fully glass fronted high street shop which gets the sun all day, with no air con, I struggled to wear mine for long when I was in on Monday and Tuesday. It's like working in a greenhouse! So I removed mine if I was behind the perspex screens on the till.

I'll still continue to wear a mask when shopping or in crowded places for the foreseeable future. I got a text a few days ago telling me I could bring my second vaccination forward, but there's no availability at the vaccination centre I'll keep checking though

Yes I took my first train journey a few days ago since covid and nearly died of the heat in my mask. I couldn't have worked all day like that. Hope you get your second vaccine soon!

 

[ThatPurpleB]

Masks havent been required at my workplace for months so not wearing a mask doesnt feel weird to me as I'm sure it does to other ppl.

When I've been out shops have been empty (I suppose because of the heat) so I've not worn it as I've quickly nipped in and out of empty shops. I have worn it still a few times, like when I went to pick up my glasses because it's a small place with ppl closer to me and I was there a while.

For my own mental health I'm trying to get back to normal a bit. I'm not scared of catching COVID myself, I'm scared of passing it onto other ppl. I too became a bit of a germaphobe and at times scared to leave the house.

I dont think COVID is as easy to catch as what I originally feared. The past few weeks I've come into contact with 2 or 3 people every day that have tested postive. We've been in prolonged contact without masks, poor ventilation and little to no social distancing and I still havent caught it. These are thoughts that did terrify me but oddly now make me feel better as I see how unlikely I am therefore to get it in future. I regularly do lateral flow tests so would know if I had had it.

 

[piggieminder]

Just got back from the supermarket, it was about 50/50 with mask wearing very few were social distancing. I can't see me giving my mask up for sometime, at least 3 people were coughing in the shop. COVID or no COVID I've loved not having a cold for ages. I think the last time was November 2019, there's a lot to be said for masks!

 

[Tigermoth]

I work in a shop and the majority of customers still wear masks. However with this weather, and it being a fully glass fronted high street shop which gets the sun all day, with no air con, I struggled to wear mine for long when I was in on Monday and Tuesday. It's like working in a greenhouse! So I removed mine if I was behind the perspex screens on the till.

I'll still continue to wear a mask when shopping or in crowded places for the foreseeable future. I got a text a few days ago telling me I could bring my second vaccination forward, but there's no availability at the vaccination centre I'll keep checking though

I hear you, I’m on a hospital ward with no air con, roughly a billion degrees, you feel it get hotter and hotter as you walk down the corridor in your mask and then you put on eye protection, plastic apron and gloves. I’ve had staff fainting from heat exhaustion.

 

[Merab]

Went to our local Sainsbury’s today to restock after the holiday.
Almost everyone was wearing a face mask - customers and staff.
It would seem that ordinary people have more common sense than our government.

 

[Lady Kelly]

We went to Sainsbury's today and whilst most people were wearing masks a number of them were only covering their mouths. We opted to not wear masks and actually people are much more cautious and give you more distance if you aren't wearing a mask. So I think I will take the extra personal space and not wearing a mask over wearing a mask and someone leaning right over you with theirs not on properly

 

[cashmincal]

i wore my mask today whilst food shopping .most of the store assistants and public did not wear masks.i felt alittle angry ! the government has sent out very mixed messages.

I'm still wearing mine at work too