Secondary transmission/contamination

[curlysue]

I have a question about what I call "secondary" contamination. For example, I go to the shops and handle the trolley (cart), and packages of food etc, keeping my hands well away from my face, then get home and wash my hands.

THEN I unpack the bags of shopping and put it away in the cupboards, fridge etc. Presumably, any lurking noro particles could still be on the external packets - so am I inadvertently re-contaminating my hands every time I handle the outside of packs, jars etc?

I realise that nothing can be 100% sterile - not surfaces, doorknobs, the handle of the kettle etc!! - but I wondered whether the chances of the survival of the virus dissipates with each transmission.

My hands are already getting a little raw as I feel the urge to wash after I've handled pretty much anything at the moment. Any thoughts on this?

Susie x

[sage]

I think it's probably true that the more people who handle something contaminated, the less contaminated it gets. That being said, just about anything from outside your house could be contaminated with viral particles. But handwashing until your hands are raw is NOT a good idea - raw hands are harder to get clean, for one thing. Besides the obvious reason that it hurts your hands.

Just use mild soap and water and wash for 20 seconds getting webbing, thumbs, fingernails, and wrists clean and well rinsed. Only do this after using the bathroom or before handling or eating food. At other times, spend more energy stopping yourself from putting your fingers in your mouth or nose than washing your hands.

All the best,

[curlysue]

Thanks Sage. I think thats very good advice - after years with this phobia (I'm 36 and I've been phobic all my life), much of my mental ramblings involve telling myself to use my energies mroe wisely!

The obsessive part of me can't help worrying that after I've washed my hands, then sit down and eat something out of its wrapper (a bag of crisps, for example), that I'm transferring particles from the wrapper to the food!!

[img]smileys/smilies_12.gif[/img]

[sage]

ya, I can see that. But in the end you have to ask yourself rather than "what if I'm sick?"..."what if I worry about everything my whole life and ruin it?"

Another thing that really helped me when I read it is this: there's no point in worrying all the time about something that happens almost never. I don't know why but that seemed to really help me. In particular that one statement basically cured me of my fear of flying!