Question about COVID-19 spread

[Gardenry]

If you've already had COVID-19 (you have had the antibody test and know through provable science that you had it) and you're no longer contagious, but you then go spend time in a hot zone aroud others who have the virus, could you still carry it back to loved ones? I have family who have had the virus and got over it months and months ago. Now, they're going to Mexico to vacation under the belief that they're very unlikely to catch it again. And the CDC agrees that's true, so that's fine with me. However, if they're exposed to COVID-19 can they still carry it back and infect someone else even though my relative have some immunity and won't get sick again?

 

[BIGRED]

I don't know but I wish I did! There just isn't enough information on this because it's so new. I had COVID-19 a month ago. I'm still super careful because I'm not sure I believe that you can't get it again.

 

[Birdie]

@BIGRED, that had to be scary at the time you were going through it. I'm so glad that you're okay now!

@Gardenry, I've had that same concern too. Some people who have already had it are a bit reckless. Well, maybe reckless is the wrong word really. Not sure what would fit though.

 

[Locksmith]

It doesn't sound like it would work that way. If a person is immune from the disease, that means they don't get it. If they don't get it, how can they spread it? You can't give someone something that you don't have.

I'm no doctor, so don't take that as medical advice.

 

[Shelbii]

I'm no doctor either but I would have to agree with Locksmith. I think the professionals have pretty much ruled out the virus transferring on clothes. I mean there is a small chance that it's on your clothes and you hug someone and then they put that clothing or a part of their body that touched it in their mouth?

 

[Bill Stecik]

I'm no doctor either but I would have to agree with Locksmith. I think the professionals have pretty much ruled out the virus transferring on clothes. I mean there is a small chance that it's on your clothes and you hug someone and then they put that clothing or a part of their body that touched it in their mouth?

I'm no doctor but I stayed at a best western express once

 

[Erik8181]

I'm an RN/EMT-P, have worked as a paramedic for 8 years and nurse for 6. Honestly the definite answer comes down to semantics & research that isn't yet available— but long story short, it doesn't look like reinfection is likely. In the rare instances it has happened, the cases investigated haven't been contagious a second time. This is incomplete and preliminary data though.

However, contamination (clothes/skin/objects being exposed to COVID-19 & maintaining viable particles) is a real possibility, albeit likely a small percentage of how cases spread. Current research is showing that skin can harbor COVID-19 from contact for 9 hours, and fabric for 2 days. In both instances, washing (hands with warm water & soap for 2 minutes - clothes on high heat washes for at least 5 minutes) will deactivate viable particles.

if you do have a recurrence of COVID-19 symptoms, because there isn't enough evidence to say 100% conclusively, you probably should be re tested & re isolate if you come back positive. I think mask wearing & social distancing should continue even after you've been infected — social distancing to prevent spread by contamination, mask wearing to help protect against other respiratory diseases that have the potential to strain the healthcare system.

 

[More Green]

If you practice social distancing though, spread on clothing will minimize the possibility of a spread even more.

I think the bottom line here may be that there is no keeping away from it 100%. Mitigating the possibilities of spread is the best we can do until more and more people get vaccinated.