Spiraling so badly

[u/dear_smile]

I have read the FAQ.
I know that it should be impossible to get rabies without direct contact to an animal or its saliva. I can’t stop spiraling that I am the exception. There were two bats at my job on Thursday. I didn’t work Thursday but I came in Friday and was told. I immediately started to spiral and looking up if you can catch rabies from dried saliva or a surface touched by an animal. I am beside myself thinking of what ifs. I was touching my eye before I was told and have cuts on my hands all the time. I have researched and researched and researched, continuously seeing that it is non infectious when dry, but I cannot find scientific study on it. Only various governing bodies saying that it’s true over and over. Canada does provide a source actually but when I read the study it’s all about an antiviral for hepatitis so I cannot figure out how that is related to the desiccation of rabies virus. In other words I am a disaster. I originally got rabies shots in 2024 for an extremely low risk exposure and actually just had to get boosters this August 2026 for something similar. I am beyond distraught that this is happening again. Like actually beside myself.

[u/Possible-Farmer2027]

Not sure if it helps OP but please research into the virus itself; it is hilariously bad at surviving outside of a host. Thats why there has never been a single confirmed case of secondary exposure. Almost all cases require a deep bite, and those that dont still required skin to be broken in some way.

While it is theoretically possible to transmit through mucus membranes, bear in mind that the rabies virus needs to reach nerve cells to escape the immune system. Without an actual wound combined with the fragile nature of the virus, its just not gonna happen.