Man with persistent cough shopping with partner - just why?!?

[Defenbaker]

I went shopping today, for essential items, to a large supermarket. There was a small queue, with a security guard letting people enter as others left, to ensure social distancing inside. All very calm and not many people inside, so that was good.

However, in the second aisle there was a man coughing. I thought, oh well, it's probably nothing, just an ordinary cough, don't panic. I avoided him anyway, just in case. However, he then kept on coughing, at regular intervals, all around the shop. He never once used a tissue, or even his hand or the crook of his arm to catch the cough, and the cough was just the sort of dry, persistent cough that medics have described as a symptom! Regardless of whether he had the Covid19 virus or not, he was certainly not being careful to keep his germs to himself. I wondered how many people he could be infecting.

Although I tried my best to avoid him, he then appeared quite near me, where I was using the self scan till. This conversation took place:

Me: "It might be a good idea if you wait outside while your partner does the shopping, as you have a cough."

(He looked stunned, as though the idea hadn't occurred to him.)
Him: "Oh, it's just a cough, I don't have a temperature!"

Me: "That's a symptom, you might have it, you don't know."
Him: "I've been to the doctor... I don't have it."

Me: "So, have you had the test then? Did you have a negative result?"
Him: "The doctor said I'm fine... " (He looked shifty, like he was tempted to lie but found it difficult while I fixed my gaze on him.)
Me: "Even if you haven't got it, people are bound to be anxious when you're coughing all over the store. It really would be best if you wait outside."
Him: "Mmm... maybe... "

All the time his partner said nothing. I got the impression she was a bit embarassed to be with him, as she knew how others would view his germ ridden presence.

He then sloped off. AIBU to think that he had no reason to accompany another (able bodied) adult around the shop, and should have known better than to behave so thoughtlessly during this health crisis?

I have asthma and do cough frequently. I would not thank you for questioning me about it.

I have really bad asthma/suspected COPD. I cough a lot. I always cover my mouth though, but have still been subjected to 'those looks' to the point that I have resorted to saying smilingly "It's ok, it's just my asthma.' People are still wary though, and I get that so,apart from early morning walks with the dogs I just don't go out anymore at all. Some people have to go out though and I feel for them who are treated like lepers for no fault of their own.

I'm relieved to see the more recent posts and bet you are too OP world hasn't gone mad yet

He looked shifty, like he was tempted to lie but found it difficult while I fixed my gaze on him

Fuck me, I’m embarrassed for you is this an exercise in creative writing? Are you testing out a passage of your novel on us?

No of course it's not acceptable to tell a perfect stranger he should wait outside the supermarket. What planet are you on where you think that's an ok thing to say to people

Oh my god this. So. Much. This.

OMG I cannot believe you are still ranting about this poor man who we know absolutely nothing about, Yes we have all said he should have covered his mouth(said a thousand times) but he has the right to go about his law abiding life in our free and democratic society with out being harassed, if she didn't like his coughing why talk to him stay away and get out.

And as for the bus driver do we know if this lady had the virus? my niece was coughing and sneezing on a bus she had tissues and all she had was a bloody cold, she was on way back from doctors and some woman told her to get off the bus as she didn't want to catch Coronovirus! I would have told her if she was worried then you get off the bus. and this was even before lockdown.

OP if more people like you I bet we’d have a lower CV death rate right now!

Good for you for saying and then posting on Mumsnet, rather than doing nothing and then just bitching about it when you got home

YANBU. Good for you challenging him.

The issue is not that the man had a cough - there are many reasons why he might, unrelated to Covid.

The issue is that he was not containing his coughing, eg by coughing into a tissue or his elbow.

Whatever we may think, none of us knows whether or not we are incubating Covid and, if we are, not containing the droplets from our 'normal' cough will spread Covid around just as much as if our cough was caused by Covid itself.

Also there are still colds, flu and other infections around. I don't want to catch one of those either. Particularly nowadays when I want to be as otherwise healthy as possible if I encounter Covid.

Why do couples need to shop together? You are definitely not being unreasonable. I was in m&s today and there were so many couples!

The fact is regardless of the cough, unless he is his wife's carer or vice versa everyone should shop alone! It wastes time of others queuing as a couple still counts as two people when the stores are limiting the number of shoppers they have due to social distancing. So thoughtless!

Jeez, lots of sensible people, as well as lots of hysterical people on here. I cough a lot, have done for 30+ years. I have asthma and allergies which are kicking in as the silver birch start flowering. I’m not ill, I still to shop, and frankly no-one should be forced to explain their circumstances to covid vigilantes 🙄 It’s more socially acceptable to fart rather than cough at the moment.

probably wouldn't cos she was standing next to him talking so it he had it she would be next victim

"It’s more socially acceptable to fart rather than cough at the moment."

Hell yes!!! farts are contained in clothes

you still don't get it SHE IS NOT THE COVID POLICE so she had no right to question him

Caplin do you walk around the supermarket coughing without covering your mouth. This was always rude, unhygienic and inconsiderate. But obviously some posters on here are all of those things.

STOP SHOUTING. It makes you even more wrong.

if anyone had the right to stop him going in the store then it was the store personnel and they obviously were not bothered.

and who the fuck are you to tell me I am, wrong same as she had no legal right to question him get it legal

even the police have to have a legal reason to question you

You really are aggressive peterlon.

if she had questioned me I'd have told her to fuck off being a nosy busybody

Which wouldn't have made you right peterlon

yeah I am at paranoid twats cos that is what it hysteric paranoia

Yanbu

Coughing into the air is vile. Some people are dirty. No excuses.

And i take mine and other peoples civil liberties seriously

@peterlon1

Could you clarify what you mean by no legal right to question? If I may be permitted to ask.

Also re your niece, how could she or the doctor know it was just a cold? How could she know that even if it was a cold, she was not also a carrier of covid? The advice was to isolate with any new persistent cough, and not to attend the GP with such symptoms.