To wonder why people are self isolating with a cough and not a continuous cough

[2020hello]

I thought the xough symptom had to be continuous like coughing for an hour, not just the average cough and cold?

Are people really self isolating and getting tested with just colds without fevers?

I get the fever thing but coughing a few times a day seems a tad extreme?

Because they're afraid that some vigilante will dob them in, as Saint Boris is ACTIVELY ENCOURAGING the public to report each other.

@hamstersarse

It's called mass hysteria

Yes obviously you are the only sane one in a world of hysterical idiots ( hate that word btw). It must be so wonderful in that smug world, looking down on everyone with that comforting but ultimately useless to anyone sense of superiority.

I see very little ' hysteria' about this on here or in real life. Just people mostly doing their best to get by, in a very difficult and confusing situation and wondering what the the best thing to do is in very trying circumstances.

It depends on the individual what a high temperature is as well. I very rarely ever used to have any temperature as high as 37, then suddenly I went through 12 days with a test of between 38 and 38.5. And then for many weeks I had temperatures of between 37.5 and 38. So I did still have a temperature, just not a very high temperature because that is not how my body gets impacted.

I've only once had a temperature of 39 or over as an adult and that was when I had flu last year, but still only for a brief period. Then I went on to have a temperature of between 38 and 38.5 for 3 weeks, never higher, despite being diagnosed with pneumonia and needing powerful antibiotics to recover.

Everyone is different. My DSis has her temperature skyrocket up to 40 every time she's ill.

I barely even coughed when I had the virus (yes I tested positive) - slight tickle on day one but the only Covid symptom I had was the smell and taste loss. For me the worst symptom by far was the headache it was beyond anything I’ve ever Experienced before, horrific. But you can’t isolate for a headache 🤷🏼‍♀️

Both my kids have stuffy noses and the start of a cold... Iv heard my DS cough once this morning in a hour period, same as yesterday. It’s a cold. He is going to school! They didn’t send him home yesterday and it’s blatantly obvious it’s a common cold and not covid.

Loads of kids in my daughters school seem to be going off ill though with sore throats and belly aches, I think a lot of them seem to be anxious of getting covid at the moment so are being sent home crying.

I had a positive test last month. I didn't have much of a cough, an occasional post nasal drip cough that went away when I took Sudafed. No headache, no fever, no loss of smell or taste. Sore throat at the start and that was it. It didn't go to my chest as most colds do and I didn't need my Ventolin like I normally would (asthmatic). There are no hard and fast rules with COVID.

So cough three separate times a get a test? That’s ridiculous. I cough more than that normally on an average day.

The doctor I spoke to about my daughter said people are getting muddled with regards to the information. It’s not a bit of a cough it’s a continuous cough for around an hour. Or 3 coughing fits within 24 hours, where you can’t stop coughing for a significant amount of time. (ie not just coughing once or twice!) Also that it’s a dry cough, not like the one you get with a snotty cold! Temperature wise it’s only classed as Covid possible if over 38.
People have gone for tests when they really aren’t needed and then there are none left for people who desperately need them. It’s a shambles, but I don’t know why anyone is surprised.

@Splodgetastic

So cough three separate times a get a test? That’s ridiculous. I cough more than that normally on an average day.

If you cough more than that on a typical day, it wouldn't be a new cough then, would it?

It starts off with a dry cough, but a lot of people develop phlegm later. I certainly did. I couldn't cough up the phlegm so it led to me having breathing difficulties. It just isn't the case that it's always just a dry cough. According to the stats I've read (I've researched the symptoms a lot needless to say!), about 33% of people with Covid produce phlegm. Just not at the start.

And it's a temperature over 37.8 not necessarily over 38, that was always what we were told.

I was asked to get checked by work as I was coughing at work. I think it is just a regular cough as my son was coughing one day last week and then was fine. My cough is not continuous in that I am coughing constantly and can't catch a breathe. I did whilst at work cough several times but didn't have a coughing fit. I have not had a fever but was warm to touch as I have not been sleeping well and have been more tired as a result. I had the test yesterday and am no waiting for results. Selfishly hoping it doesn't take more than 48 hours to get the results ad I have worked through solidly since March and this is the first bit on annual leave I have had since then. Since the bloody test I have barely coughed and feel absolutely fine but will wait until I get the results before I do anything else.

Just to add, as I have on other threads, my Covid symptoms were identical to a common cold for the first 4 days. Sore throat, mild headache, mild fever under 38, runny nose and a bit of sneezing. On day 5 a dry cough started. I did not cough continuously for more than an hour but I did cough a little bit regularly.

After 2 weeks when I thought I was getting better I suddenly was in agonising chest pain and struggling to breath. It then took 18 weeks to get to a point where I could talk without coughing and walk more than 10 minutes.

The virus is not a joke. I'm 30, fit and healthy with no underlying conditions. It is safest to test as early as possible even if you think, like I did, that you just have a common cold. I obviously do understand there is a shortage of tests that makes this difficult.

Someone in our house had it and it started with the mildest few bouts of coughing imaginable. We didn't know what defined "episode" but erred on the side of caution as the symptom was unusual for them. Think one or two overnight dry coughs and one more the next morning. It was very mild at first. The full range of symptoms followed in the next few hours/days: fever, loss of smell/taste/headache/loss of appetite, etc. We are glad they decided to isolate at the very first sign as it prevented a full train load of people and an office from being exposed to COVID. You cannot be too careful, so please don't wait a day or two before isolating after the first sign.

@NoTeaForMe

The doctor I spoke to about my daughter said people are getting muddled with regards to the information. It’s not a bit of a cough it’s a continuous cough for around an hour. Or 3 coughing fits within 24 hours, where you can’t stop coughing for a significant amount of time. (ie not just coughing once or twice!) Also that it’s a dry cough, not like the one you get with a snotty cold! Temperature wise it’s only classed as Covid possible if over 38. People have gone for tests when they really aren’t needed and then there are none left for people who desperately need them. It’s a shambles, but I don’t know why anyone is surprised.

Well he’s definitely wrong in the temperature so I’d be mindful he might also be wrong about the cough.

The problem is you can’t really tell covid from a cold without a test. The 3 symptoms the government listed aren’t exclusive to covid & while snotty, runny nose are less common in covid than colds they are a possible symptom. Rather than blaming people for getting ill children with coughs tested we ought to be questioning why the government hadn’t planned for this situation given they knew they were sending schools back with little to no protection against respiratory illnesses.

@PurpleDaisies

Also it’s a fever not just a little raised temperature.

What’s the difference?

A fever is burning up, feeling hot, sweating, shivering. A high temperature you may not notice, especially around the 37.8 mark which is what the guidelines are.

A fever is burning up, feeling hot, sweating, shivering. A high temperature you may not notice, especially around the 37.8 mark which is what the guidelines are.

Medically, a fever is just a temperature above a certain threshold (which can vary). You might have those other symptoms but it’s not necessary for a “little raised temperature” to count as a fever.

Medically, a fever is just a temperature above a certain threshold (which can vary). You might have those other symptoms but it’s not necessary for a “little raised temperature” to count as a fever.

For me, anything over 37.4 is high, because my normal temperature is between 36.5 and 36.9. A temperature of 37.8 makes me shiver and sweat like mad. For everyone it's different.

But actually not everyone with Covid develops a high temperature at all.

My sister had covid with a mild cough and no fever, she was also SURE it was a cold and didn't stay home until her DH (who was WFH) caught it from her, ended up in hospital and tested positive.

I'm so tired of seeing people on here who have mysteriously been given powers to divine what exactly is a covid cough. If we knew so well, the bloody thing wouldn't have spread so much in the first place.

I'm so tired of seeing people on here who have mysteriously been given powers to divine what exactly is a covid cough. If we knew so well, the bloody thing wouldn't have spread so much in the first place.

Yes, absolutely. It’s really interesting how it has changed from berating people without symptoms for not getting tested to telling people who do have symptoms they’re responsible for breaking the test system when they absolutely should be booking one.

@Crunchymum What the fuck?

They haven't even listed the 3 actual symptoms that need attention together?
If you have an issue take it up with the WHO, I am going to hazard a guess they know better how Covid19 affects children that the joke that is public health England!

Colds are also a coronavirus , children often have different symptoms to adults. Yes the official testing says cough, temp, loss of taste but to say I know my child has a common cold and not Covid19 is very naive

Because people are trying to do the right thing
Because there's no hard distinction between "cough" and "continuous cough" and people don't trust their own judgement
Because there's a ton of other COVID symptoms which aren't covered in the official NHS guidelines and people feel its inconsistent
Because going into an enclosed space with any kind of cough atm won't make you flavour of the month
Because there are no flaming tests to be had

I wish people would stop being so sanctimonious and categorical about other people allegedly misinterpreting COVID symptoms when its known to be bloody hard.

You're all angry at the wrong people. If we had a decent test and trace system we wouldn't have to tie ourselves up in these arbitrary distinctions.

It feels like there is a concerted effort today by some on social media to blame the testing chaos on people taking tests unnecessarily. Rather than the more obvious problem of having an exceptionally incompetent govt.

I live abroad in a country full of hypochondriacs. Current wait time for a test: 0 minutes. Current processing time: several hours. And that’s with all tests carried out by medical/laboratory professionals, I really don’t have any faith in the home/self-administered ones having had a “proper” test where I felt like they were tickling my brain.

"3 times in 24 hours can't be 3 coughs and people test that would be crazy."

I phoned 111 because DD1 had a cough that was intermittent. Coughing twice, with about 20 minutes between each cough. They said that it counted as continuous coughing, that we must all self-isolate and she must be tested. I can't think of a milder cough, tbh, so I'd say that any cough that is ongoing (ie. not just clearing your throat) is likely to be considered 'continuous', for the purposes of Covid.