Was I exposed?

[emet-ana]

This evening I went to my weight-loss group and was standing in the queue/in line with my Mum, who had paid for both of us already, when I heard the lady in front of us say that she has had a really nasty stomach bug/virus this week. I immediately walked out the room and my mum followed.

I insisted that Mum showered (I said I'd be unable to eat in the house for a couple of days if she didn't which is true) and I cleaned the bathroom with bleach and showered (tbh this was partly in bleach too).

Were we exposed?

I think we were because Mum got change from her bank note and had to touch our weight-loss cards and I held her handbag for her. I had a session with my psychologist today (I have co-morbid severe OCD) and was just starting to make a plan for dealing with my emetophobia but now I feel like hiding in my room again!!

[claire43]

Im sure you're going to be ok. She had obviously recovered enough to feel up to slimming club. Its not easy I know only too well trying to talk yourself out of a panic when faced with this kind of a situation but just keep telling yourself you couldnt have been exposed & on top of that you came home & showered.

[yanksfan]

i feel like u didnt get much exposure. she probably hadnt gotten sick in a while and then probably wouldnt have anything on her hands. plus u and ur mom took sufficient precautions so i think ull be fine.

[emet-ana]

Thanks claire and yanksfan.

I'm really concerned that there's norovirus around the car- my Mum was driving and she handled the money and the cards. We used anti-viral hand foam but I looked at the ingredients and it doesn't seem to contain enough benzalkonium chloride to denature norovirus.

The problem is for some reason I get the idea that the 'sicky' isn't a great hand-washer so even if she was sick yesterday or the day before (it sounded recent) then she may (is likely to) have viral particles on her hands?

What should I do about the car? I almost can't face cleaning it and I can't use bleach on the steering wheel!!

[yanksfan]

i think ur over-thinking a bit and that ull be fine. the odds r probably very slim. i hope that helps! .

[emet-ana]

Thanks yanksfan. I'm not sure where my emetophobia ends and OCD begins really.

Would this kind of situation stress a normal emet or not?