HIV risk from blood inside sealed envelope

[London540]

Hi there,

First I want to thanks GuitarRox and AnxiousNoMore for helping me before by answering my previous query. I really appreciated. Now reason for posting is just for confirmation. So I ordered a product through ebay (a cream product). It was shipped on the 29th Dec and arrived on the 30th. However I opened on the 31st afternoon. The envelope was sealed and when I open it and took out the product from envelope I noticed there were red spots on the product box which was inside the envelope. I wonder if the blood was infected could it be a way of transmission? I understand inanimate objects cant get you hiv due to air but will this apply for an object(cream box) inside a sealed envelope? From the time the product was shipped until I open the envelope and touched the inside box must have passed 2 days and a half. Also I suffer from dry hands so tend to have small cuts(not bleeding).
Please let me know your thoughts. Thanks.

[Sara_MHModerator]

As your question was fully answered, we are not closing this thread.

***  thread closed ***

[AnxiousNoMore]

It doesn't matter if it is inanimate, the hiv is dead. You need to reread all the advice you read before (and focus on the 3 instead of wasting your life guessing about the millions of other activities that occur in your life), which I have reposted below. Note the answer to the QUESTION which will always be NO I DIDN'T , which will help you next time you wonder if you had a risk, should you find yourself still stuck in multiple recurring anxiety situations where you keep wondering if new things can infect you.

Your situation involves personal contact with an object in air  ( cream, blood, etc.). No hiv worries, because you can't get hiv from personal contact except unprotected penetrating vaginal or anal, neither of which you did and you didn't share hollow needles to inject with which is the only other way to acquire hiv. Analysis of large numbers of infected people over the 40 years of hiv history has proven that people don't get hiv in the way you are worried is a risk.
HIV is a fragile virus in air or saliva and is effectively instantly dead in either air or saliva so the worst that could happen is dead virus rubbed you, and obviously anything which is dead cannot live again so you are good. Blood and cuts would not be relevant in your situation since the hiv has become effectively dead, so you don't have to worry about them to be sure that you are safe.
There is no reason for a person to test when they are safe. The advice took into consideration that the other person might be positive, so move on and enjoy life instead of thinking about this non-event. hiv prevention is straightforward since there are only 3 ways you can become infected, so next time you wonder if you had a risk, ask yourself this QUESTION. "Did I do any of the 3?" Then after you say "No, I didn't" you will know that it's time to move on back to your happy life. For example in your current situation the answer would be NO, I DIDN'T because there was no unprotected penetrating anal or vaginal sex nor was there any use of a shared hollow needle used for injection, so obviously it is a NO risk.

[London540]

Hi there,
Thanks for your reply. Yes you are right! The only doubt was because the envelope was sealed so I wasnt sure if the box inside envelope will have contact with air and make it inactive.

[AnxiousNoMore]

" The only doubt was because the envelope was sealed so I wasn't sure if the box inside envelope will have contact with air and make it inactive." Your focus on whether everything you encounter in life is airtight is a gigantic waste of your time since there are only 3 ways. You need to focus on the 3 instead of wasting your time studying the other million. Reread the QUESTION. Obviously there was no unprotected sex involved nor was there a hollow shares needle used for injection.
At this point your anxiety is a bit of a mental health issue so consider therapy if you are unable to get past the repetitive behavior of analyzing everything you touch for a disease that you can't even get.

[CurfewX]

An envelope is not a vacuum-sealed environment.  In your last thread, other members outlined the ONLY risks for HIV, and you should go back and re-read them.

You seem to have a lot of irrational fear about HIV transmission, none of which is rooted in reality.  You're imagining blood everywhere, which is also not realistic.  If you have access to a therapist, that would be a great option to explore.

In the meantime, don't have unprotected intercourse with someone of unknown HIV status, and don't share intravenous needles with other people, and you will NEVER have to worry about HIV.

[London540]

Hi there,
Thanks for your answer. I do indeed tend to have fear about blood spots or blood. If the envelope was not sealed probably I would not have worried but gives me relieve to know a sealed envelope doesnt meet the conditions to keep the virus alive after 2 days. I am currently on waiting list through NHS(UK health system) for a therapist.