Lots of people have coughs and colds at the moment - husband works in a school, it's rife.

[comfyslipers]

What I would like to know is that with everyone socially distancing, wearing masks and constantly hand washing and cleaning how are these germs spreading. And if the common cold can spread very easily what is to stop Coronovirus? Are we really doing all this for nothing? Seems to me that it only take one person in a work place, pub, restaurant etc. and there are a whole wad of cases. How is it getting passed on if we are all being so careful?

But surely if children aren't wearing masks in classrooms and viruses are airborne they will spread?

Because all the measures in place aren't designed to stop the spread, they're designed to limit the spread. Colds and coughs are always around.

This happens every start of every new term.

We’re all just more paranoid because of COVID.

Surely if DH has a class of coughing children he is sending them home so they can isolate/have tests before returning?

Or is that not how it works?

I honestly feel like I don't have a clue any more.

@boredboredboredboredbored

But surely if children aren't wearing masks in classrooms and viruses are airborne they will spread?

Exactly this!

The fact many people aren't be careful at all is contributing to this

I've been wondering this too. My household all worked at home over lockdown and two of us still are (I always did anyway). We've all been going out only to shop, exercise and for the occasional distanced meet-up. Yet we've had at least our usual share of colds, sore throats etc. It's a bit worrying, especially because we're all become much more careful about hand-washing etc (or maybe I'm imagining that we have/we're all deluded...)

My DH isn't a teacher - he works in IT but the rule seems to be that sneezing and coughing aren't enough - you have to have Covid symptoms to get a test.

@comfyslipers

My DH isn't a teacher - he works in IT but the rule seems to be that sneezing and coughing aren't enough - you have to have Covid symptoms to get a test.

Well, yes. Coughing on its own isn't a symptom of COVID.

People transmit human diseases among themselves. The only way to entirely stop it is to kill everyone. Fortunately, most of them, including Covid, are not fatal to the overwhelming majority of the afflicted.

@comfyslipers surely a new continuous cough is one of the few recognised symptoms of COVID and anyone with it should be isolating and getting a test? If they’re following NHS guidelines anyway www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/symptoms/

Social distancing and cleaning reduce the reproduction level of viruses, but they can still spread. Just at a slower rate. That’s why it’s so important to isolate at the first sign of Covid symptoms.

I’ve been sending my kids to school with light colds, so although they won’t pass it on to as many kids as last year, I’m sure it will still spread.

All the kids here have had colds (school started 3 weeks ago). I believe rhinoviruses are much more contagious than coronaviruses and certainly much more prevalent.
We’re almost out the other side now, weeks 2&3 were the peak.

I think I have a cold - I’ve had a COVID test though and waiting for results as I work in the NHS. I had a temperature.

I don’t know anyone with a cold and have been careful but I can just hope whatever i was exposed to it was a low/brief exposure due to the masks and social distancing.

I’ve been wondering the same! We are British but live overseas. Flew back from England mid-August and had to be tested on arrival and then quarantine until the end of August. My DD developed an absolutely stinking cold in the last 3 days of quarantine and I have NO idea how. She’s now passed it on to her siblings, who all missed their first days at school and had to have Covid tests.

Fuck my life!

We all have colds here and my toddler has chicken pox! Clearly we aren't the best at social distancing! I am not sure how we picked them up.

Yeah, but what's considered a continuous cough? If you are also sneezing chances are you have the cold. There is a woman at work who I would say has a continuous cough but she is also sneezing and blowing her nose - not symptoms of Covid and you can't get a test until you have symptoms of Covid - well at least that's what she has been told.

Doesn't it have to be a new, dry, continuous cough. So a snotty cough isn't a symptom.

I'm dreading cough and cold season at school. I've got visions of repeated isolations etc every time a child coughs. There's no way autistic dd would manage a test either.

Are you sure it isn't hayfever/allergy type runny nose and cold symptoms rather than the cold virus?

I used to think I had colds all the time until my asthma got bad and I worked with my doctor to control allergies. I have to take antihistamine a lot more regularly but it has had a major impact on my cold like symptoms which turn out to be more allergy related.

What I would like to know is that with everyone socially distancing, wearing masks and constantly hand washing and cleaning how are these germs spreading.

But there isn't social distancing or necessarily mask wearing in schools, so colds etc are bound to circulate.

Coughs and colds even though they are a virus seem to happen more when there is a reasonable change in temperature. In the last week it has been much lower than normal for late August, and then a bigger drop for those who have returned from holiday. With Spain and France off the holiday menu, people will have returned from even warmer places than usual.

Kids, I think! DD came home from nursery with a snotty cold and now I’ve got it too

My DC got several colds throughout lockdown

I think nobody actually knows anything! One thing for sure is that social distancing is totally impossible. We only had one year in today and it was bedlam in corridors and outside. No masks, classroom heaving ...

The 2m around teachers' desks is a Joke as the desks front on to the line and to be 2m I need to be flat against the wall.

Tomorrow I have 2 classes over 30 kids.