Heard something about COVID and reinfection

Hi, fiesty76. Some things just must be done. I feel pretty sure your dentist will take all necessary precautions. I was in the process of working towards implants, but under the present circumstances, it is not absolutely essential that I have a beautiful smile now. Although I'd love to. But some things can wait. And others cannot. I am pretty sure as well that your dentist does not want to contract the virus either.
P.S. I'm sorry I ever had the first tooth pulled rather than get a root canal, but I had a really dumb dentist, little did I know. That started the whole thing with the mouth.

Certainly understandable. If I don't have to go to the doctor, I won't. If I do, I will. It is confusing, because we do the best we can. Every time I go out, then I go back to the car, and inadvertently may touch my face or eye, I think, uh oh, I hope I didn't get the virus.

@fiesty76.. I'm in the same boat with you. I need to go to the dentist to take care of some gum problem and have a cleaning. My son in law's dentist has postponed all appointments to August. I read somewhere about dental appointments but I can't find it. It said dental hygienist no longer polish your teeth because of droplets. I'm sure my dentist office will take all precautionary measures but I'm still a little worried. What if the previous patient is sick and the virus is in the air. How can I protect myself? If I do go in the future, I'll want the first appointment of the day. I'm glad I had my cleaning in February, I usually go every 4 months. Oh well, ce la vie!

@cindiwass I think current research, once published about length of time of exposure + quantity of virus required, will begin to set our minds at ease a bit. Dr Michael Osterholm, a respected epidemiologist, has convened a task force of varied experts to compile & review all the data on aerosol transmission - they expect to have preliminary conclusions within 30 days.

That said, based on what we already know, a single touch of the face pretty surely won't transfer enough viable virus particles to infect you. And remember - virus particles are like barnacles, not flies - they stay where they land, and cannot move on their own. So if they are on your face, the only way to get into you mouth or nose is if you put them there by putting fingers in eye, nose or mouth. What I do is open the car door, use hand sanitizer before I get in the car, remove my mask, and sanitize again after I remove it - that way I avoid putting any virus from hands onto steering wheel, controls, etc.

For those of you wearing gloves - PROPERLY remove and discard gloves before getting in the car - otherwise all the contamination on the gloves comes along with you.
See:
https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/pdf/poster-how-to-remove-gloves.pdf
They are meant for single use and disposal, not to be taken on & off. If you cannot do this, you are better off without gloves and using handwashing/hand sanitizer. If you put on gloves when you leave home, go on your errands without removing, and take them off when you get home, you are carrying virus from place to place, into your car, and back home again.

Remember that the main vector of infection is inhalation, so caution about going to the dentist is reasonable because we sit with mask off and mouth open. However, before reopening, our dental office improved their ventilation, and are taking the added precaution of alternating room use, so they don't have two patients back-to-back in the came cubicle. So I do feel safe going (first morning appt.)

Please folks, don't put off necessary lab work and doctor's appointments for chronic conditions based on fear, otherwise the long-term effects of this pandemic will be even worse! Use video appointments when possible, early-morning lab visits for safety, wear your mask & wash your hands.
Stay calm, stay safe.
Sue

@sueinmn, I appreciated your post, Sue. Hadn't realized that "virus particles are like barnacles, not flies". That information helps!

I do as you with wearing/removing gloves and also wear a "fanny pak" fastened around waist vs taking a purse. It holds my phone, d.l., credit card, Triple A card, Kleenex, eyeglass case and ballpoint if needed for signing receipts. For the first time today, I put a tissue over nose before adding the mask and eyeglasses. The Kleenex did reduce glasses fogging.

Looking for specific brands among so many products was tedious so today's trip from inside store to car was two hours. That will have to do for my "walk" today because of heat.

There were few shoppers at my 3rd 6am Walmart trip today and my focus was buying back-ups of non-food stuffs that I use daily/frequently. Was surprised that there were only two very small bottles of rubbing alcohol on the shelf but large bottles of hydrogen peroxide. Happy to have brought home most products on the list. They may do some "airing" out of bags as they sit on tables in the garage for a few days before being brought inside.

I was able to leave a list of supplements and other products that I buy at Walgreens to be picked up later. It is so nice to be able to use their drive-up window and because of the high heat here, I asked if it would be ok for me to come tomorrow morning when it is cooler for the pick-up and the clerk said that would be fine. We have one Walgreens location that stays open 24/7 but none make deliveries.

@mayofeb, When I first called the dentist yesterday, an electronic message came on saying: not a working number. I nearly dropped the phone in shock. My dentist had closed her practice for a few weeks at the start of the covid news so I was afraid she might not have re-opened. Waited and redialed and was so happy to hear the receptionist's voice that I would have probably jumped in the car still wearing p.j.'s if she'd told me to come right in. vbg I go every 6 mos for cleaning and that comes up next month. I did tell receptionist if I needed to come in to please schedule me for a first appointment of the day. Really like that Sue's dentist alternates room use and hope ours and others do that too.

@cindiwass Hi Cindy understand your concern for I had to have tooth pulled 3 weeks ago. Talk about bad timing. Admit I was more nervous during COVID but impressed with all the procedures put in place and extensive, necessary cleaning. Hope all goes well.

I totally identify with your situation. I keep a bottle of hand sanitizer in my car (it’s not too hot where I live ) or maybe keep one in your purse or pocket to use immediately upon getting in your car. I have found it relieves anxiety I had about where I was at.