Please help. The offical stance if you can catch Coronavirus Covid standing near another person that

sweetsand

I have a hospital appointment next week and they will be using a camera to check inside me.
They will be wearing PPE and I'm worried about their gloves as many, non NHS staff see wearing gloves as a magic solution
EG, touch face, nose, other items and thenik they are immune.

My question is if someone has the virus no symptoms can the person within 2 meters of them catch the virus from their breathing?

I've looked on the net but nothing from WHO or Lancet, etc but there is some info from BS sites.
Thanks

jjames1985

sweetsand said:

I have a hospital appointment next week and they will be using a camera to check inside me.
They will be wearing PPE and I'm worried about their gloves as many, non NHS staff see wearing gloves as a magic solution
EG, touch face, nose, other items and thenik they are immune.

My question is if someone has the virus no symptoms can the person within 2 meters of them catch the virus from their breathing?

I've looked on the net but nothing from WHO or Lancet, etc but there is some info from BS sites.
Thanks

so, are non-NHS staff going to be the ones sticking a camera down your throat (or perhaps up the other hole)? if not then I don't see what non-NHS staff are getting up to has any bearing on this.

Yes, you can likely catch Coronavirus from someone's breath and myriad other ways.  since they usually don't stick cameras inside people because they're bored presumably they think you might have something wrong with you that could be serious if untreated? it's up to you to weight up if the (generally very low) chance of catching Coronavirus and snuffing it is more than the chance of you dying from whatever they think is wrong with you.  personally I'd just go to the hospital and get the test done.

bradders1983

OP, do you go to the shops? 

Thrugelmir

sweetsand said:

My question is if someone has the virus no symptoms can the person within 2 meters of them catch the virus from their breathing?

The distance is recommended at 2 metres in case someone coughs or sneezes. As it's the droplets that travel a distance. Normal breathing isn't the issue at 2 metres. Wear a mask if it makes you feel more secure. 

[Deleted User]

NHS staff follow proper hygiene procedures so the risk is minimal. That being said whilst the 40k deaths figure sounds like a lot the risk is very low in percentage terms and indeed there is a strong probability that more people will die over the next few years because of delayed treatment for other conditions that from COVID-19. 

Mrsn

I had a colonoscopy this Saturday just gone.

On arrival at the endoscopy unit you are asked to sanitise your hands and you are provided with a mask if you haven’t already come in with one.

All staff you deal with (and there will only be staff allowed on the unit.... the doors are locked and you could only get in and out via a staff member) are fully dressed in PPE. Those carrying out the procedure were very well covered, honestly it was well organised and at no point did I feel exposed so to speak.

The waiting room was set out for social distancing and other patients are spread well out on the unit. For me I’m glad I went as it has shown how extensively my bowel disease has spread and will now mean I can plan accordingly with my consultant the treatment plan going forward. 

They don’t just offer these tests without good reason so you need to bear that in mind. 

sweetsand

Thank you, Thrugelmir, MadMattUK, Mrsn. 
Mrsn, mine is a review for something I had close to three years ago a 9 monthly review that is overdue by almost three months because of this virus .
They say enclosed spaces are worse. I'm going for my Covid test tomorrow as part of this medical review.
Thank you three again.

NeilCr

Mrsn said:

I had a colonoscopy this Saturday just gone.

On arrival at the endoscopy unit you are asked to sanitise your hands and you are provided with a mask if you haven’t already come in with one.

All staff you deal with (and there will only be staff allowed on the unit.... the doors are locked and you could only get in and out via a staff member) are fully dressed in PPE. Those carrying out the procedure were very well covered, honestly it was well organised and at no point did I feel exposed so to speak.

The waiting room was set out for social distancing and other patients are spread well out on the unit. For me I’m glad I went as it has shown how extensively my bowel disease has spread and will now mean I can plan accordingly with my consultant the treatment plan going forward. 

They don’t just offer these tests without good reason so you need to bear that in mind. 

I had to go for an eye check up - checking repaired torn retina.

Exactly as above but they, also, took my temperature when I entered the unit. In addition, one patient arrived with their partner who was not allowed in

I felt very safe and - in all honesty, as someone who lives on my own, - it was quite nice to have a reason to be out and about and have a journey to make.,

Grumpy_chap

I think, if the NHS are carrying on with the procedure, then they assess that the benefits to you outweigh the risks and the infection control procedures are all in place as good as they can be and sufficiently to protect you to the best possible way.

The bigger risk is probably the other way round, i.e. you infecting the staff with coronavirus.

Mrsn

Grumpy_chap said:

I think, if the NHS are carrying on with the procedure, then they assess that the benefits to you outweigh the risks and the infection control procedures are all in place as good as they can be and sufficiently to protect you to the best possible way.

Absolutely spot on. Sometimes these things can’t wait and hospitals really have done all they can to adapt that environment for those in it.

ToxicWomble

MadMattUK said:

NHS staff follow proper hygiene procedures so the risk is minimal. That being said whilst the 40k deaths figure sounds like a lot the risk is very low in percentage terms and indeed there is a strong probability that more people will die over the next few years because of delayed treatment for other conditions that from COVID-19. 

It’s already happening - but yes absolutely agree with you