To go on long coach journey with a cough?

[Ribrabrob]

I have a cough. It’s not corona virus, however it is a strong, persistent and annoying cough which has lasted a few weeks (I will go to the doctors next week).

I need to make a coach journey next week however I am worried about any nasty remarks or people being concerned I may have the virus! I’m in a country where masks are mandatory everywhere and my temperature would be checked before hand. But it’s also a country where I am noticeably ‘a foreigner’ which may bring more attention to me!

So aibu to take a coach journey with a cough at this time? Would it concern you? I can post pone the journey for a little longer however would rather not do so as it’s basically an ‘essential’ journey.,

@annabel85

Really? My husband had better not leave the house again then. I also have a hayfever cough so I need to stay home too, how ridiculous!

Our workplace is opening back up but one of the conditions is if you've got any of the main symptoms of Covid (i.e. persistent cough) then you'll be ordered to go home and isolate and WFH to until the symptoms disappear. Not jump on a coach for 12 hours and terrify the rest of the passengers.

One of the symptoms is a NEW and persistent cough.

@annabel85

Do you seriously suggest I don't leave the house between April and August?

If it's a persistent, virulent cough i'd certainly be avoiding enclosed public spaces wherever possible. It's not being fair to other people.

It's a cough due to hay fever which I get every year and I have for the last 30 years.

Do you suggest I don't go to work for 5 months of the year? I have been working continuously, including out of the house, since lockdown started with my cough. No one has batted an eyelid once I've explained it's hay fever related.

You are being massively unreasonable.

No. You shouldn't be allowed on the coach.

As usual the hysterical fruit loops are out in force on this thread.

Yes of course there are people who say the OP shouldn’t go if it’s a new cough, but there actually are people on here suggesting that if someone has a cough of any kind they shouldn’t leave the house until all this is over. How long would that be then? A year? Two years? If there’s never a vaccine should they perhaps remove themselves from society?

No wonder the disabled and shielded feel so isolated when idiots like the ones on this thread come out with that kind of offensive bullshit.

If people are that paranoid about anyone with a cough being allowed out in public, then maybe they should be the ones who stay home. No? Didn’t think so.

I have a persistent (and dry) cough which is associated by one of the meds I take for my heart. If people are suggesting that I, and others in the same position, should stay home because of a cough that I will have for the rest of my life then frankly they can get stuffed.

Oh and, @MNHQ please can you go back to moving these hysterical threads back to the COVID topics so that the more normal of thinking among us don’t have to see them as we have it hidden?

*It's a cough due to hay fever which I get every year and I have for the last 30 years.

Do you suggest I don't go to work for 5 months of the year?*

In this climate i'd try and stay out of enclosed public spaces with a persistent cough. Certainly If it's virus related.

Our workplace sends anyone home with a cough.

If you go you deserve any comments and looks received.

I would expect staff to step in and ask you to leave to protect everyone else

The thing is even though you've tested negative for Covid, and you go on to get it, you might not realise as you think it's your normal cough. Unless you get tested the day before and show the results as of that day to the coach driver, you might risk not being allowed on. Event gem they might not want to take the risk. I'd check beforehand and see what their policy is. Otherwise you may end up being dropped off en route.

Coughs and sneezes spread diseases.

I would think not to do it. Who knows how people will react ? And stuck in public transport there could be an uproar with no escape. What if you come up against a violent person adamant that you’re not travelling at any cost on that bus/train and ‘infecting’ their family? For your own safety don’t do it. You just never know about some people...... and you’ve said you can postpone it so maybe best to do that....

If I had a persistent dry cough and sufficient reason (test plus lack of contact with other people over a lengthy relevant period of time), then for this situation I might consider whether dosing myself with a cough suppressant for the duration of the journey was an extra precaution worth taking. Not a good plan if you're coughing stuff up a lot - and if that's the case then covid -ve or not I'd say try to avoid for now.

I've had a number of episodes of problematic post-viral cough in the past which in fact have been best managed with cough suppressants once I'm over the initial illness. (took a few unpleasant years to get to that conclusion though. thank goodness haven't had that happen for a while now).

There’s a wide spectrum of activities under “going out in public”. If you have a persistent cough, I wouldn’t care if we were in the same shop as I would have an easy way to escape to get away from you. However passengers stuck on a very tight, enclosed space like a coach don’t have that option, they’re stuck with your coughing and germs until the next stop which could be what, 30 mins-60 mins away? That would make anyone feel concerned about the risk of COVID, the risk to their loved ones, the risk to their income etc.

You wouldn't be unreasonable to go but I wouldn't.

I'd spend the entire journey paranoid that I'm being (wrongly) judged and also the other passengers are likely to be anxious/paranoid for weeks afterwards after sharing a confined space with somebody with a strong cough.

So let’s get this straight. Tests are notoriously untrustworthy so even if you’ve had a test and it’s been negative you should assume you still have COVID because well, you never know.... Never mind the fact that if you’ve had a negative test you do not need to self isolate.

If tests are so routinely negative and not to be trusted then exactly why do we have testing in place at all? And why was there so much of an uproar about the number of tests which should be carried out?

@annabel85

She is sick, even if it's not COVID you shouldn't be exposing people to your illness anyway.

This is why we have the worst figures per head for Covid in this country. Total lack of consideration for other people.

It's one thing having everyone cough and sneeze all over you on trains and in offices through the winter because it's sacrilege to take a sick day, but unless it's an essential trip stay the fuck at home. Especially now.

No the reason we have the highest numbers is because PHE is classifying anyone who ever had covid as a covid death even if they recovered months ago. And because covid was put on the death certificates of thousands who hadnt been tested but "may" have had it.

OP I would get tested again before your trip, if possible. Take the test result certificate so if anyone does question it or ask you to disembark (highly unlikely) you can show them.

However do expect some funny looks as people will think you have covid and, as is evident on this thread, people are a bit OTT about it at the moment.

Ideally you should be able to go, but realistically it’ll be a hellish trip for you... people will respond badly to a cough.

Could you maybe get tested again just before you go so your completely sure? Like others have said there are false negatives and at least you could show the driver or whatever that you have been tested?

My hayfever is driving me mad: sneezing, stuffy nose, coughing.

Not going to stay home because other people might over react, though.

"This is why people with hayfever need to get it under control a lot more this year, as if they are asymptomatic then their hayfever sneezes will unwittingly spread the virus."

What?
You think people with hay fever CHOOSE to have it and they can choose to 'get it under control'.
Everyone I know with hay fever uses the remedies available already!

Well I wouldn't unless it was a necessary journey not because you may have had a false positive but because that is a long time to be in an enclosed space with strangers and it's a long time to have to wear a mask!

Christ, what is all this talk about “OTT” reactions? The other passengers would be completely justified in their concerns. How bloody entitled are you? We are in the midst of a novel pandemic - no one wanted to share your germs to begin with, let alone now!

I take ramipril. One of the side effects is a dry cough. I needed to go to GP last week. I walked as it’s fairly close. I had a mask on. I had a horrible time. Dirty looks by passers by. As I passed a couple I had a cough. They muttered “ dirty disgusting cunt “

This was outdoors. I dread to think how you would be received on a coach. I wouldn’t go.

My GP wanted to increase the ramipril. I declined and asked for a change of medication. Now is not the time to have a dry cough if you can avoid it.

YABU. Even if it's not covid it might be contagious and everyone who catches it from you will have to isolate, get tested etc. Imagine the anxiety if you're someone with underlying heath problems.

Also as others have said, my hayfever is insane and I've just been put on prescription antihistamines. I have a cough, have been tested and now the cough has lessened but you can't never leave the house because of a cough if you know why you have it. Especially as op has been tested

This is what I find worrying about the winter...

Every year around nov at school I get a cough for about a month, runny nose, sore throat! They are all Covid symptoms now. My boys get temps once a month atleast. Will we have to isolate all the time?’ Get weekly tests?

"even if it's not COVID you shouldn't be exposing people to your illness anyway."

Well, this is not true is it? People with normal coughs and colds are allowed to travel.