New here and question *a little graphic*

[cat283]

Hi, I'm new here, I've had emet since I was about 5 and I'm almost 16 now, but anyway, I have kind of a weird question.


My friend online/penpal has been sick with a stomach bug since yesterday. She started feeling queasy a couple days ago, and finally started v'ng yesterday. Her whole family apparently also had the bug. She has something of mine at her house, and she told me that she'd pack it up and have her mom ship it back to me on Monday. Now, my question is, can the norwalk, or any other stomach virus, be transferred onto or in a surface like a package, and survive for two or three days till it arrives? I'd assume that by the time it's shipped, everyone there would have stopped V'ing and probably would be getting better. Also, can an item that was sitting on a shelf in a room absorb germs, even if it was nowhere near V?


I heard that the norwalk virus can only be transferred through direct contact with V or fecal matter. When my mom had it last year, I ate out of the same dish she was eating out of two days before she got it, and I never got it (and I wasn't around the V or anything that she produced since she got sick at work and was taken to the hospital, where she stayed until she was better).


I really don't want to get sick and I am so scared. V'ing is my number one fear and it consumes me. Thanks in advance for the help. Edited by: cat283

[chloe]

Hi!


Firstly welcome to the site. You are not alone in this fear at all...Everyone here knows what it's like to try and live with this fear and its associates (eg germs).


Secondly, never be afraid to ask anything on here - if it is worrying you then people here can reassure you and support you.


Third - I had exactly the same worry as you when I left stuff round a friends house and then later that week she was unwell. I'm sure that the virus cannot really survive outside of the human body - if it can I think its about 3 days max that it is still contagious...thats my theory on it anyway. If you are worried about it then have you got some of the anti-bacterial hand gels or wipes? If so just wipe it over the object in the package - bin the package in the outside bin and wash your hands. I guarantee you'll be fine.


I hope you find this site friendly and supportive.


Welcome, again


Chloe x

[wing]

Hi Cat283!Welcome. Like Chloe said i dont think it'll be on the package still but of course we'd all still worry ^_^. Oh, i'm gonna be 16 soon too. The fear consumes me also. Just now my mom was like "Stop thinking like that! You are just causing problems for yourself!" [yes, like i can stop so easily...] Heh heh..well hope you find support on the site.

[2jo2]

Welcome to the site! I also have to add that you're guaranteed that no question is dumb, as there's probably at least one other emet that has worried about the same thing, and I've also worried about this germs surviving through the mail issue. I don't think they can survive that long, but to ease your mind, like Chloe said, wipe the object off first thing when you get it. If it were food, I'd be a little iffy about taking it back, but otherwise I think you're ok. Feel free to ask anything and everything here, this place is great!

[cat283]

Oh, I don't think I'll even open it (I don't really need to) for a few weeks after I get it, but I was more concerned with just touching the outside of the package. I would really assume that it would be ok, though.

[sparky2004]

I cannot see how a virus can survive on a surface over three hours, if I have my numbers right. Simply spray down the package with Lysol, even your stuff inside.