Self isolating and the common cold

[EllieM]

My father and brother have been rigorously self isolating since last March (food brought in, my brother washes it down before putting it in the fridge, things like newspapers are left for 24 hours before being handled). The last time either went out was for my father's vaccination jab early in the month. (They might have had to collect a repaired car from a garage, though no direct human contact).

So how can they have caught a cold? Is the reproductive factor and transmission route just that much higher for colds? (Neither are particularly ill with it, just sneezing a bit).

 

[Jaylee]

My father and brother have been rigorously self isolating since last March (food brought in, my brother washes it down before putting it in the fridge, things like newspapers are left for 24 hours before being handled). The last time either went out was for my father's vaccination jab early in the month. (They might have had to collect a repaired car from a garage, though no direct human contact).

So how can they have caught a cold? Is the reproductive factor and transmission route just that much higher for colds? (Neither are particularly ill with it, just sneezing a bit).

Hi,

I've had a couple of bouts like this.. Snail trail sneeesh attacks lasting for 2 days.. No other symptoms.
One was just before Christmas. the other was a couple of weeks back?

Now i had been working for an engineering company prior to Christmas, in a dusty environment. I was also wearing a mask. (you need to anyway.) These days it's easy to have no direct contact with anyone.
I can only assume my clothing got dusty & i may have snorted some dust undressing when i got home??

This quite often happens to me, (Even before covid.) i have no allergies. It's a little like "hayfever?"

 

[woollygal]

My father and brother have been rigorously self isolating since last March (food brought in, my brother washes it down before putting it in the fridge, things like newspapers are left for 24 hours before being handled). The last time either went out was for my father's vaccination jab early in the month. (They might have had to collect a repaired car from a garage, though no direct human contact).

So how can they have caught a cold? Is the reproductive factor and transmission route just that much higher for colds? (Neither are particularly ill with it, just sneezing a bit).

Just as a thought, things bought in the house should be quarantined for either 48 or 72 hours, it might be something as simple as that. The newspaper thought remote, might be the culprit if it’s only left for 24 hours.
If I get anything in the post I disinfect the packaging. Depending on when it was sent I’ll clean if I can the contents with dettol. If it’s something like amazon everything gets cleaned and if I can’t clean it then it gets out in a bag and quarantined for 72 hours, shops I believe have to quarantine returns for 72 hours so I do the same.
Where is the newspaper kept? Just leaving it lying around might be enough for something to spread. collecting the car from the garage did they disinfect all the touchable bits inside and out before they got back in the car? As a driving instructor when we were allowed to work everything Thad to be disinfected, I even sprayed the seats and belts because it’s amazing what we touch with the hands,
Although no direct human contact there is very much the possibility of indirect contact with contaminated surfaces.
Did the car place disinfect everything inside the car if they touched anything, use masks inside the car and clean the body work such as handles etc. I’d say that was a very good chance of where they got it from,
It seems excessive but it’s amazing where you can pick things up from.

 

[sleepster]

Could it be something like putting rubbish in an outside bin and not washing hands afterwards?
When our neighbours were self-isolating because they'd been in contact with somebody with covid they still put their bins out on bin day, since the refuse collectors (binmen if we're being old-school ) empty their bin and then ours we didn't put ours out, just in case anything was transmitted from their bin to our bin (handles), although we do wash our hands when we put anything in our bin, it just didn't seem worth the risk. It makes me shudder the stuff I used to do and not wash my hands afterwards

 

[Goonergal]

I suspect that the more sterile an environment someone has been living in, and the longer they’ve been in it, the more susceptible they’ll be to anything when leaving it, even if for a short period and with care being taken. Immunity to anything is built up when exposed to it. To be clear, I’m not being critical or suggesting they should have done anything other than isolate as they have, but it could be an explanation for picking something up.

 

[EllieM]

Could it be something like putting rubbish in an outside bin and not washing hands afterwards?

Don't think it's that. My brother is scrupulous about washing hands and m pretty sure my 90 yo dad isn't the one putting the bins out.

And covid in their area is still relatively low...

 

[Mr_Pot]

My father and brother have been rigorously self isolating since last March (food brought in, my brother washes it down before putting it in the fridge, things like newspapers are left for 24 hours before being handled). The last time either went out was for my father's vaccination jab early in the month. (They might have had to collect a repaired car from a garage, though no direct human contact).

So how can they have caught a cold? Is the reproductive factor and transmission route just that much higher for colds? (Neither are particularly ill with it, just sneezing a bit).

I have also been wondering about the same thing. My wife and I have been isolating with no real contact with anyone. We have both had a succession of 1 day runny nose and sneezing not even bad enough to call a cold. I have given up on cleaning deliveries etc. I was never convinced it was a likely source of transmission and now I can't be bothered but we didn't have these pseudo colds before Covid so why now?