COVID-19 : Gas company insist they need to enter my home

Grumpy_chap

Frugal_Noodle said:

I'm going to dig my heels in to a point, but at some point I reckon Im going to have to empty my hallway (it's cluttered), and clear all the surfaces in my kitchen, and then i'm going to cover what I need to with some light plastic dust sheets. Maybe having the room look like Dexter's kill room will make the engineer work faster and get out.

I'm sorry to be blunt, but you are being absurdly paranoid and unreasonable!
It is many months, if not years, before there will be a vaccine or the virus "goes away".  Are you going to stay holed up for all that time?

unholyangel

Some people haven't taken it seriously enough, others have taken it too seriously. 

But FWIW, plastic dust sheets imo would be a bad idea. For a start, you'll have to handle them to get rid of them. Plus, I believe (if early studies are to be believed) the virus would "live" longer on plastic than it will other surfaces. To my mind, the easier solution (for both you & them) would be a pump of hand gel or washing his hands upon entry and a clear path through so they don't have to squeeze by and potentially transfer anything via clothes.

PPE is no substitute for basic hygiene. Especially gloves. Masks may possibly have shown some limited use in crowded enclosed spaces but gloves.....they're only useful if you're putting them on to touch something speficially then dispose of them immediately before touching anything else (such as a pen or clipboard). 

The biggest risk to most people tbh is the food chain. Even if you haven't entered a supermarket....there will still be dozens of people who have handled your item except you won't have seen them to know or assume anything about their hygiene. 

[Deleted User]

bradders1983 said:

And another newsflash....not everyone who catches it dies. Little known fact.

Well, you're right about that.  Sometimes it's like this instead:

'It feels endless': four women struggling to recover from Covid-19

Many people suffer effects of coronavirus for months while reporting a wider range of symptoms than NHS guidelines state

[Deleted User]

Grumpy_chap said:

I'm sorry to be blunt, but you are being absurdly paranoid and unreasonable!
It is many months, if not years, before there will be a vaccine or the virus "goes away".  Are you going to stay holed up for all that time?

I'm feeling that way myself.  It suddenly seems the perfect time to REALLY get into World of Warcraft.

 

Scorpio5555

Frugal_Noodle said:

I'm going to dig my heels in to a point, but at some point I reckon Im going to have to empty my hallway (it's cluttered), and clear all the surfaces in my kitchen, and then i'm going to cover what I need to with some light plastic dust sheets. Maybe having the room look like Dexter's kill room will make the engineer work faster and get out.

Don’t forget your tinfoil hat when he visits.

imamoneysaver

Do you plan on living like this- and by this I mean not going out at all, seeing anyone or letting anyone in your house- for at least 2 year, or longer until there is a vaccine? 

I don’t meant to be rude, but you seem quite dramatic and unreasonable and please for the love of god don’t be this unreasonable in front of the poor lad who will only be trying to do his job. 

Clean before he comes in. Ask him nicely to wear an clean mask and gloves, lock yourself in another room while he is there then clean and disinfect after he leaves. Sorry but It’s not that difficult. 

welshbabe88

Hi - sorry to see some people being flippant with your question - I can totally relate.
Do they just come through your hall to the kitchen and out?
Probably they will be very quick - have you seen how long they are in other houses?
Being utility I'd assume you have to allow access eventually - especially as its gas, for safety reasons.  I'd clear the hall completely (good reason to spring clean).  Clear all the surfaces in the kitchen.  That way when they come in there is nothing they'll touch in the hall and you can wipe everything down in the kitchen afterwards.
Shoes off at door, you give them new gloves and masks, you wear one too - go to another room and tell them just to shout when they leave.  Then you can come out and wipe down all door hands, switches and cooker etc, plus worktops. 
Have all windows wide open before they come in - and leave for a while after they go.  As said the virus, if it was anywhere that you missed, would be gone by 72ish hours, so just be doubly careful to wash your hands etc.
Good luck, I don't think you are paranoid, just cautious - and the tin hat comments are unwarrented.

poppy12345

welshbabe88 said:

Hi - sorry to see some people being flippant with your question -

That's because the OP is being completely riduclous and totally unreasonable. Everything you've advised above has already been advised.

mr_stripey

welshbabe88 said:

Hi - sorry to see some people being flippant with your question - I can totally relate.

People aren't really being flippant; they are just pointing out the OP is taking a disproportionate amount of caution when weighed up against the small risk of transmission.

sharpe106

Not quite sure why they are not terrified of a gas leak as well.