Should I go back to traditional reg set-up? (vs. primary donate)

[RogueClimber]

I would think if your donor has COVID-19 then pretty much anything they set up on their gear would be contaminated by their touch.

If they have a traditional octo then they probably placed it in whatever location they chose touching it with their hands....

I'd skip diving if this was a concern to me. Though I do admit to some concern working with all our clients on our boats each day

 

[Marie13]

For now, this is largely an academic question, as I cant dive for the time being (my county is on lockdown).

A few years back I swapped out my regs to a primary donate set-up. I had not done so previously, frankly, out of laziness, but finally decided the small amount of reduced risk was worth it. Also, I had never found an octo-holder that worked properly.

Should I go back? Are folks more worried about taking a reg from someones mouth now? I've never had to donate before, but we're talking about the weighing of small risks anyways.

I dont know whether the coronavirus can survive underwater the second it takes to donate. Nobody may know about this, since its a novel virus.

Speaking for myself, right now, I think I'd rather take the reg that wasnt in your mouth.

What do you all think?

Are you normally a germaphobe?

 

[saxman242]

Basically Im asking - in the off-chance that you need air - would you prefer to take a reg from someone's mouth, or hanging in the water on an octo-holder?

The risk that someone had covid-19 would be so far from my mind in that situation.

 

[Chavodel8en]

I would think if your donor has COVID-19 then pretty much anything they set up on their gear would be contaminated by their touch.

If they have a traditional octo then they probably placed it in whatever location they chose touching it with their hands....

I'd skip diving if this was a concern to me. Though I do admit to some concern working with all our clients on our boats each day

May be true, but this is where being underwater works in our favor. If the Rona cant survive in sea water, the (loose) octo will be disinfected by the time I need it. But if I just took it from someone's infected mouth, in which case, I basically French-kissed the Rona.

 

[Chavodel8en]

Are you normally a germaphobe?

Nope, not at all.

 

[Chavodel8en]

The risk that someone had covid-19 would be so far from my mind in that situation.

Mine too. But dont we prepare our gear beforehand, anticipating any risks?

 

[Marie13]

Nope, not at all.

If getting what I refer to as “the plague” worries you so much, don’t go diving at all. You’d probably get infected on the boat.

 

[formernuke]

If I run out of air underwater I would accept any reg that was offered to me. It is better to be alive with any Virus than to drown.

^^^^^ this. If I'm alive with a fever at least I'm alive.

If I know I'm sick with any respiratory illness I'm not diving. If I'm not sympitathic aka I don't know I'm sick and I give you a virus saving your life, guess what your alive.

 

[Chavodel8en]

If getting what I refer to as “the plague” worries you so much, don’t go diving at all. You’d probably get infected on the boat.

Folks dont seem to understand my question. I dont fear getting the Rona from diving. Im not a germ-phobe.

I WANT to go diving. Although my local waterhole - Monterey Co. - is on lockdown at the moment. As soon as its open again, I'm going diving.

And I think diving is an activity that CAN BE done w/out risk. Just stay 6 feet away from your buddy until your underwater. Since I shore dive, I dont need to worry about boats.

In fact about the only way the Rona could be spread during scuba diving (if people take the proper social distancing precautions), is by taking a reg from someone's mouth.

Again I REALIZE THIS IS A VERY SMALL RISK (bolded so everyone can understand). So to address this very small risk, I can just switch back to traditional set up.

 

[Chavodel8en]

And please for the love of all the scuba diving gods, please please, pretty please people, stop bringing up the scenario of "If Im OOA, Im taking any reg offered, its better to be alive" Thank you for re-stating the obvious. Its still not relevant to MY QUESTION and really doesnt add anything to this discussion.