Spotted a flattened morsel of feces on the floor outside the bathroom. My mother is a walking ball of germs. I am scared. COVID. Pray for me.

Maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree--but if you are so concerned about her getting the mail (and that is the only place she 'gets to' go---you can either: Take it upon yourself to disinfect the mailbox everyday after the mail had been delivered and then allow mom out to do her job, or not allow her to go out at all.

The chances of contracting COVID19 from a mailbox are slim to none, but you're concerned and need to be heard.

You must be going out for groceries and staples, right? That's a bigger risk than getting the mail.

We are isolating in place and DH has been working from home. Nevertheless, I have gone out several times to get staples. Just using the in-place precautions.


Good Luck--and please try to calm down.

Forgive me for this but.....

you are concerned about getting COVID-19 from her feces on the floor.....even though it’s transmitted through other ways......

yet you are still letting her retrieve the mail from the community mail box?

If she catches COVID because an infected person left droplets on the mail box or shares an elevator with her, you are going to catch it whether you touch her poop or not. Methinks it’s time to calm down and stop letting her get the mail if you are so concerned.

She obviously needs more supervision in the bathroom and to make sure she washes her hands - both after using the toilet and when she comes in from getting the mail. Having her change into slippers or house shoes when she comes back from getting the mail is also a good idea.

She does leave the house. Our mailboxes are on the ground floor of our apartment building. She insists on getting the mail. This is what frightens me.

Also - aside from the point your mother would have to have the virus in the first place - while tests have found the virus in feces and blood it is currently “unclear” whether it can be transmitted via those routes.

So, in the fact it is “unclear” doesn’t provide a nice firm “don’t worry about it” by any means - but it does say - at least to me - worry more about the known and much more viable transmission vehicles- coughing and sneezing. Practice all the hand washing protocols and social distancing, stay “sheltered in place” and use antibacterial wipes and gloves to clean up any poop.

We all need to calm down. Covid doesn't just materialize--it has to have a host first and your mom probably isn't leaving the house.

If we all follow the health guidelines, we'll be ok.

Nevertheless, yes, yuck.

Get a grip - the virus doesn't spontaneously materialize in your house, your mother could bathe in her feces and it isn't going to give you covid 19, (I really do sympathize with the ick factor though)