coat and merino wool base layers arriving in mail- decontaminate or not & how? (exercise, treated)
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Problem with timing is that I have read of the virus surviving much longer than most of the stats indicate.... something like 17 days on the cruise ship surfaces, for example, so do we truly know that a week is sufficient?
They were able to detect the virus's RNA up to 17 days later. That in no way says it was a live virus they detected. Similar to being able to detect DNA in people that have been dead a long time.
I'm glad that you are able to isolate yourself, if that's what you want.
In the past month I've had people hand me clothes, I've folded and bagged them and handed them back while taking their money as well, probably hundreds of times. Been doing this throughout this pandemic, plus I also had a hospital stay and surgery and multiple doctor and physical therapy appointments.
Life goes on for most of us. We follow the distancing and masking guidelines, but we can't make your choices so it's hard to relate to your concerns.
I hope you appreciate all the people that are working out there so you can get your deliveries. I'm sure your clothes are fine.
Although I could refute some of what has been said here, I won't. My plan is as above. I will say that I am keeping plenty of zinc and vitamin C around at the present time. Four years ago, for a reason that took me months to figure out, I contracted probably half a dozen colds between summer and spring (mainly throughout the winter). That was my first real opportunity to test out zinc on colds. The result was that 80% of those colds lasted no more than 2-3 days. I read that colds and covid are cousins, so to speak, so there's a chance that zinc might reduce viral symptoms like it does with colds. I hope I don't have the opportunity to test this, but the zinc and vitamin C are standing by in case I do. At this point, I'm not counting on being able to get the vaccine anytime soon, or even if it's going to work. I will say that the H1N1 vaccine several years back did help me when I got that flu. Lasted one day.
You might want to stock up on famotidine, then.
To date there have only been retrospective and observational studies, but famotidine has been shown to reduce symptoms of Covid-19. A large clinical trial was planned for earlier this year but the number of C-19 patients in New York hospitals dropped dramatically. That, of course, was a good thing but it put the clinical trial on hold.
Good point. True, I am not totally relieved. I have been in almost total isolation since it all began 7 months ago. Groceries have all been ordered and shipped here, then decontaminated. Any auto trips have been only for gasoline fill up, which is rare because I only need to visit places like bank windows on occasion. As far as doctor appointments and such, forget it. Over the top, maybe, but this is the line I've drawn.
I do have a complete decontamination system, depending on what the item is. Someone mentioned a laptop. Well, I had a motherboard go bad in the one Dell unit I have here. The motherboard, while in the anti-static bag, was placed under my UVC light, each side for 20 min per side. The board itself, once removed from the bag, was not placed under anything because of fear of damaging the components. I did let it sit for 30 days before opening.
The coat and thermals are definitely a challenge because most of what I use for decon wouldn't be easily applied. The plan is to place each item under the UVC light, each side, for 30 min once removed from the packaging, which will be opened outdoors. Unfortunately, that is the best I will be able to do and hope it is good enough.
Problem with timing is that I have read of the virus surviving much longer than most of the stats indicate.... something like 17 days on the cruise ship surfaces, for example, so do we truly know that a week is sufficient?
Believe me, if there had been any other way, I definitely wouldn't have bought this stuff now.
Thanks again for your response.
I would toss the down coat in the dryer, and set the wool in the garage for a few days, douse with fabric disenfectant. Yes its a real thing i bought from dollar general. I disenfect my items. I actually caught the virus thru not wearing a mask is my theory.
This post does illustrate the level of fear out there.
I wear a mask when I can't social distance and wash my hands when I return from errands.
But there is no way I am afraid of packages or food delivery items.
Agree. At the very beginning when Ohio did lockdown I did all that... wiped down the groceries. Now? I just wash my hands. The risk of getting Covid from delivery times is so infinitesimal it really is a non factor. Anyone that says different is NOT getting their news from a reputable source.
That's very interesting, thanks. I can easily monitor oven and/or dryer temp with a precise external digital thermometer I have. I will save this link.
Jacket arrived today in one of those large, white plastic bags. First step was thoroughly spraying all sides of the bag with 70% iso and letting sit for a couple of min. The bag was then cut open and the jacket removed. One side of the jacket is under the UVC light now for 30 min, then will do the other side. The bag was placed into a bleach solution for 5 minutes and is now being air dried. I wanted to save the bag in case I had to return the coat. According to the shipping info, the coat was in transit for 3 days.
I like the idea of heat decon mentioned above and will be using this in the future.
In the early days of the pandemic the virus was thought to spread from surfaces easily. Then they learned that surfaces aren't the problem they thought. What everybody has said is good advice.
I've been receiving things in the mail, as we all have. At first I would wipe things down with soapy water because soap kills the virus. But ever since I read that it doesn't really survive that well on surfaces, I mostly don't even bother. I'm at high risk too so I know it can be scary. You will be fine.
In the early days of the pandemic the virus was thought to spread from surfaces easily.
Do you know why they thought that?
I went back in time and read some of the CDC's recommendations for previous disease outbreaks. It was funny, almost. There was the 6 foot distancing recommendation and all the warnings about disinfecting surfaces frequently but only with approved disinfectants. And then there were fomites.
CDC just recycles the same crap for every outbreak.
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