The Prepping Thread - A Newer Beginning ;)

greenbee

There’s no need to bleach anything. Washing with soap and water destroys the lipid layer of viruses. Friction removes bacteria and viruses if you don’t want to use soap. Cooking also kills them. 

Your phone is likely to be the germiest thing you own - most people will wash their hands or use hand gel but forget that they touched their phone with dirty hands. I regularly remove the cases from mine and wash both the case and the phone with soapy water. You should check whether this is ok for your model of phone, but it is the best option for most. Hand gel can damage the protective coatings. Alcohol wipes are generally ok. Obviously you need to be sparing and not soak it, plus dry it off quickly. I’ve done this for years when travelling as planes/airports/taxis and some hotels make me feel the need to disinfect... and I’ve seen the results of swabs of phones 🤢

maryb

I wash the milk bottles when I bring them in because I suspect that the milkman's hand are not that clean by the end of his round but I don't go in for bio hazard level decontamination.  Put the shopping away, wash my hands and by the time I use it, it's fine.  In any case, I wash my hands a lot while I'm preparing food and keep a clean kitchen so I feel the risk from that direction is managed

DryTheRain

As a newly designated CEV I’ll be steering clear of supermarkets for a while, even though visits were mostly confined to late night swoops when it’s quiet. Feel very fortunate to have someone who’s happy to shop for me.

But golly first vax later today (been great to hear everyone’s experiences, thanks again!) and as I can’t attend MC’s mum’s funeral next week I’ve decided to try and make an occasion of it, a sort of all round mark of respect if that makes sense. So the sleeveless black dress I panic bought will be worn, nails have received a slightly clumsy manicure and my best double masking game will be on. Along with profuse thanks to the staff, and a wobbly takeaway coffee afterwards with equally profuse thanks to MC. Unsettling times eh, must try and get some sleep x

Nargleblast

Wondercollie, what you've seen at the vaccination centre is sadly nothing unusual. The public in general can be very fickle, healthcare staff are applauded as heroes one day, then another time they're called everything from a pig to a dog. You just smile and say "thank you" when appropriate and a silent "eff you" when you get abuse. 

Regarding bleaching stuff, you can get bleaches with an oxygen base rather than chlorine, but the warnings against mixing with other chemicals still apply. The instructions are very clear, couldn't be clearer if they were in neon light headlines.

DrytheRain, you'll be fine after the vaccination. I assume, as CEV (never heard that acronym before, had to google it) you would normally have the flu jab every year? Flu is another form of coronavirus so your body will be used to that kind of vaccine. Reports of people taking to their beds unwell after the jab are way in the minority, and it would suggest that somewhere along the way  they have been exposed to the virus already and their body is reacting to the vaccine accordingly.  When you "attend" the funeral, light a candle and raise a glass of something nice as  a toast to that person's life. Hopefully someone can film the service for you, maybe even stream it online so you can follow the service in real time?

euronorris

We still get regular deliveries. It reduces our exposure risk, and husband suffers with anxiety so he is far more worried about it than the average person.  We clean it all once delivered, with a sterilising tablet in a big bowl of water (the type used for sterilising baby bottles). I give the milk bottles a wipe down when they arrive as well, but that is mostly because they often have bits of mud on them.

But, tbh, I find shopping online more efficient and often cheaper. I'm far less tempted by impulse purchases, and like others I have a meal plan idea in my head and shop based around that. I don't tend to worry about short dates with most things. It can either go in the freezer, or if fruit, we just eat that first. I used to spend far more pre pandemic because I would go to the supermarket most days, would often give in to buying a pre made lunch and would ultimately impulse buy far more. I do miss browsing though lol.

I will also pop to a shop as and when needed (I might need to go this weekend to top up fruit), but tend to choose farm shop where I can. It's quieter, and supports a small business. And, it's surrounded by beautiful countryside and has a little stream you have to cross via a bridge between car park and front door, so it feels like a nice little outing lol.

The roadmap has boosted our moods here  and renewed motivation for healthy eating and losing weight, so already got through way more fruit than usual (hence needing to top up). I know some people are nervous about schools returning, but we are delighted. DD is only child and really, really needs to socialise with other children. We are looking forward to the gradual opening of things also, with DDs swimming hopefully restarting after 12 April! And we have booked a staycation for a week in later July in Cornwall. Really looking forward to that! .

And today's fun thing? Cleaning the car with DD in the sun lol.

Nargleblast

Boazu, just one of those products is sufficient for cleaning and getting rid of any nasties. You don't need to mix three chemical products and risk making a toxic cocktail that could seriously harm your health. Alternatively Euronorris's idea of using the sterilising tablets is a good one, you know it's safe if it's used on babies' bottles.

Please take heed of what people are saying. There are people who have seriously hurt themselves with the practice you describe. Read the instructions on the bottles.

greenbee

Information on mixing bleach here https://www.healthline.com/health/bleach-and-ammonia

Bleach, disinfectant and even washing up liquid are harmful to the environment, so should always be used sparingly. Viruses can be killed with soap - hence the emphasis is on hand-washing, with sanitiser only  advised when you can’t wash (and ideally you wash after every three applications). They can also be killed with alcohol - my mum was using up 1987 poteen to disinfect early on (mostly out of relief at finding a use for it, as she didn’t want to kill the septic tank putting it down the drain!), and the Italians were selling it it supermarkets for cleaning, as well as spraying the streets with it in Venice.

GreyQueen

@ Boazu., my friend who accidentally combined household bleach with an ammonia containing cleaning product, creating mustard gas, has done permanant damage to her lungs. It was a few years ago now. Every time this lady has a cold, it goes into her lungs and causes severe problems and requires hospital treatment. Every.single.time. Please think about that, and perhaps step away from the bleach. Anyway, if you're using it in a spray bottle, you are aerosolising it and breathing it in, which isn't doing your own lungs any favours. Just because you've always done something, it doesn't follow that it's harmless, as any smoker who ends up with lung cancer can testify.

You may also be interested to know that there are 54 peer-reviewed studies which demonstrate that the risk of catching Covid from someone in your own household, if they are positive, is under 25% in most cases, and under 10% in others (the variation dependant on total numbers of household members). Bearing that in mind, treating foodstuffs which have come from outside the home as bio-hazards because there might, in principle, be a coronavirus particle on them, seems excessive.

@ Wondercollie & Nargleblast, when I had my vaccination, I deliberately had the first appointment of the day (08.10 am) and was unamused to arrive outside the GP surgery at 07.55 am to find a long queue! One of the older gents up-queue from me was addressed by a passer-by and I overheard him say his appointment was 08.30 am. Why-oh-why was he in the queue at least 35 minutes prior?!

I don't know why I'm even surprised, when I had to queue for the flu jab, it would be very busy, and I'd even hear retired persons saying that there appointment was X (often 1.5 hours + away) but 'they thought they'd come down early'. Very frustrating for those of us with jobs who were taking time out for jabs and stuck behind them.........grrrr!

Suffolksue

completely agree with the comments re mixing household chemicals.I,too,know of patients who severely damaged their lungs this way .
seems sad to avoid the virus only to destroy your lungs  this way .
totally self inflicted.

Shropshirelass

Bleach which is sprayed might get into your eyes, please be careful even if wearing glasses.
Regarding elderly persons (I'm in my 70's), 'getting there early', don't think that will be easily cured. I think it's a combination of anxiety, and boredom at home. Maybe also an opportunity to see who else is there. All down to human nature!