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How long before using room with possible covid?

The home for all non-political Coronavirus (Covid-19) discussions on The Lemon Fool
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This is the home for all non-political Coronavirus (Covid-19) discussions on The Lemon Fool
Jonetc15
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How long before using room with possible covid?

#445866

Postby Jonetc15 » September 28th, 2021, 11:55 am

Our decorator is rectifying a water-damaged ceiling of a large room at one end of the house, with poor ventilation. A relative of the decorator has tested positive for covid. Two days ago the decorator was tested negative, but after two consecutive days spent in the room with the door shut, without wearing a mask in the room (but wearing one for going in and out of the room to his van via an immediately adjacent external door) he is leaving. The last day's work can be done much later. We really want to move all our furniture etc back and to use it. We're in chaos...

Taking the worst scenario that there is a possibility that the decorator (double vaccinated of course) might in fact have been infected before leaving our house, I'll be really grateful for any suggestions on these bare facts as to how long we should leave a possibly infected room before moving back in.

TIA
Jon

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Re: How long before using room with possible covid?

#445882

Postby servodude » September 28th, 2021, 12:14 pm

If it happens again ventilate the room for a couple of hours as best you can
- open the windows, create a draught, give it time to change the air; that's where it's a problem
- don't lick the floor ;)

As for now...don't worry; what you've described isn't going to be a problem going forward
- it's face to face contact or hanging around in the same enclosed area that's the issue

Any risk falls away very very quickly once you've removed the source of the virus (based on what I've had to do with changing out ventilation equipment for COVID patients)

Don't worry; enjoy the newly decorated room

-sd

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Re: How long before using room with possible covid?

#445884

Postby Midsmartin » September 28th, 2021, 12:20 pm

Open the window and wait for the air to clear through. Half an hour? Less if it is windy.

Jonetc15
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Re: How long before using room with possible covid?

#445963

Postby Jonetc15 » September 28th, 2021, 3:00 pm

servodude wrote:If it happens again ventilate the room for a couple of hours as best you can
- open the windows, create a draught, give it time to change the air; that's where it's a problem
- don't lick the floor ;)

As for now...don't worry; what you've described isn't going to be a problem going forward
- it's face to face contact or hanging around in the same enclosed area that's the issue

Any risk falls away very very quickly once you've removed the source of the virus (based on what I've had to do with changing out ventilation equipment for COVID patients)

Don't worry; enjoy the newly decorated room

-sd


Very many thanks indeed for such a quick reply. I should have said that the windows don’t open.

In my late 70s with a serious long-term medical condition I couldn’t face the hassle of getting new ones in the autumn (the wooden external sills being a problem) so the decorator simply sealed them externally and temporarily. Then water leaked from a burst above the ceiling… Which has now been redecorated. At last. After lockdown, shielding etc.

I wonder how this embarrassing tale will change your advice - a large room and windows that don’t open.

Jon

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Re: How long before using room with possible covid?

#445975

Postby servodude » September 28th, 2021, 3:24 pm

Jonetc15 wrote:I wonder how this embarrassing tale will change your advice - a large room and windows that don’t open


You'll be absolutely fine after a few hours

For comparison measles is about the most contagious virus most people will normally encounter (about 8x as much as wild original sars cov2)
- and even it will only be viable in the air for a couple of hours
- still don't recommend licking the floor (for a few reasons) ;)

-sd

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Re: How long before using room with possible covid?

#446045

Postby 88V8 » September 28th, 2021, 6:02 pm

Jonetc15 wrote:I wonder how this embarrassing tale will change your advice - a large room and windows that don’t open.

Put a fan in there and open the windows elsewhere in the house for an hour.

If you have any other unventilatable rooms it would be worthwhile getting your local glazier to come and put an extractor fan in the window.

V8


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