To assume my cough is because I have a cold

[Redsquirrel34]

So since Thursday I've been absolutely full of cold. Streaming nose, felt a bit rough. No temp and no cough until today. I've woken and feel alot better in myself but can feel the phlegm at the back of my throat and it's making me cough! Not horrendously, just a short cough. I've been awake an hour and coughed 3 times. The cold was caught from my nieces, who passed it onto my daughter, then to me. And now my husband and son are all extremely snotty too.
Isn't this the reason why there's no tests? Because technically I have a cough I should get tested but common sense says it's a cold. I just feel it's stupid to attempt to test in these circumstances. If I had a cough out of nowhere or a temp it would be different. Aibu to put the cough down to a cold?

Whilst walking my dog a few days ago I started coughing, a dry raspy cough, it went on for a wee while. How embarrassing! I was hoping that none of my neighbours could hear me. I knew that it wasn’t COVID because I had just inhaled a small fly🦟 It cleared after a few minutes😂😂

It is probably just a cold but you can't be sure it isn't covid because you can have nasal congestion with covid and you can also have more than one virus at a time.

Unfortunately the impact of having to isolate the whole family each and every time one of you gets a cough means that people will make up their own minds. My youngest son always gets a cough at the end of a cold, I know exactly what it sounds like, he's had it countless times. I will not be expecting my eldest son to miss 2 weeks of College each time my youngest gets a cough at the end of a cold, he's one of the many who have had 5 months of no education (Yr 12 now) and he needs to be attending for his mental health. He is wearing a mask all the time in College so the risk to others would be minimal anyway.

I was in a similar position a few weeks back but went for test as I work for NHS. I was pretty convinced I was over-reacting and I just had a cold (Runny nose, occasional tickle cough, headache). Nope! Tests were positive for covid and I have just finished my steroids. The advice I got was not to make assumptions. I’m in Scotland though and the testing seems to be more accessible.

I wonder if any if the posters saying they will ignore guidelines and send symptomatic dc into school have read the accounts of people who believed they had a cold but it turned out to be covid?

I hope you reconsider breaking the rules.

There’s definitely a cold going around which is inevitable as school’s just gone back.

I woke up today with a bunged up nose, sneezing, streaming, foggy and occasional tickly cough. DD had a cold a few days ago. I can smell (when I’ve blown my nose) and taste. DS started sneezing this afternoon. Feels like a cold to me. I’m not getting tested at at his stage. I’ve no reason to mix with anyone outside my household until the weekend so I won’t and will see if my symptoms change between now and then.

@Stompythedinosaur I couldn’t agree more.

A number of bubbles/schools shutting down in our area. The majority have said the person or people diagnosed were either asymptomatic or presenting with cold symptoms.

I don’t know what it will take for people to realise that they cannot self-diagnose this illness due to the varying nature in which it presents!

If someone in your household has one of the symptoms, you self-isolate and get a test.

People who say “they just know” it’s a cold so don’t bother are potentially putting people’s lives at risk.

I get it is a very complex and difficult situation, we are self-isolating at the moment and my husband is self employed, he will not get paid for the time he is out of work. But he would feel worse if he unknowingly transmitted a potentially fatal, serious illness to someone else.

But what are people supposed to do? We are told that unless we lose our sense of tests and smell, have a fever or a continuous cough we shouldn’t test. People with all of those symptoms can’t even get a test. What are people supposed to do if they have normal cold symptoms but not the classic symptoms?

You cannot self isolate for 14 days every few weeks every time someone in your house sneezes throughout winter. The government need to seriously step up the rapid testing capacity.

My daughter tested negative on Saturday with cough, temp and cold. Now DC2 has it and then it's going to be DC3.
Genuine question: Do I go back and test DC2 now and then go back again probably in a few days for DC3 (and then maybe myself?)

It’s difficult because the cough symptom overlaps with the common cold and Covid 19.
it’s likely your symptoms are due to the common cold, but the only way to know for sure is to test.
The guidance is to test if you present with a cough - so that’s what to do.
Unless they change the guidance to say don’t test if you have a cough WITH a runny nose... which would be a change in tact . They cannot complain though at people ‘using up tests’ when they have cold symptoms which include a cough, because that is what the guidance says to do !

We have runny nose, dry cough but very intermittent like 2-3 times a day but more at night. Had a sore throat at the start but nothing now. Never had a temperature. We sneeze a lot. This seems like cold isn't it? Or should we test?

Forgot to add, had a mild headache this morning but that could be because of blocked nose.

you cannot self isolate for 14 days every few weeks every time someone in your house sneezes throughout winter no one is asking you to. It's if you have a cough, a fever or lost sense of taste or smell. Not all three symptoms necessarily, just one.

So

A productive cough isn't a sign of COVID, dry and persistent is the one to watch for.

www.itv.com/news/2020-09-17/coronavirus-how-to-spot-the-difference-between-a-cold-and-covid-19-symptoms

Sneezing and runny or blocked nose
For those who are sneezing or have a runny or blocked nose, if no other symptoms develop it is likely to be a cold.

Prof Spector said a runny nose, congestion or sneezing is “a sign that you absolutely do not have Covid”.

@IntoTheDragonsLair did you see the precious post on the thread? Interestingly it contradicts everything the Prof says:

I was in a similar position a few weeks back but went for test as I work for NHS. I was pretty convinced I was over-reacting and I just had a cold (Runny nose, occasional tickle cough, headache). Nope! Tests were positive for covid and I have just finished my steroids. The advice I got was not to make assumptions.

Previous not precious! Sorry typo.

If it is so certain, it's strange that the NHS doesn't mention runny noses as a diagnosis that you don't have covid, and that many countries do list it as a symptom in some cases.
Also very strange that people (especially children) with runny noses are getting positive test results.

I read it. But should I not be able to rely on Professor Tim Spector, from King’s College London, who is leading the Covid Symptom Study app?

Genuinely confused.

Runny nose is not a diagnosis that you don’t have COVID. My friend had this the other week, and she tested positive.

Dd and I have just had anti body tests at the GP due to on going symptoms of suspected COVID back at Easter. (We were having other blood tests too and I’m over simplifying for ease). Really hoping we’ve got the antibodies as, even though I’ll follow the rules, I won’t feel so anxious about it, and will feel able to see parents while sticking to the rules without worry.

@IntoTheDragonsLair I don’t think you are alone in your confusion! A lot of the information has been very ambiguous. It’s hard to know what to think at times. Especially when as a previous poster says, other countries do list symptoms that correlate with a common cold.

I guess the only thing we can follow is the guidance regarding the three main symptoms and watch to see how things evolve.

@IntoTheDragonsLair

I read it. But should I not be able to rely on Professor Tim Spector, from King’s College London, who is leading the Covid Symptom Study app?

Genuinely confused.

No, I wouldn't rely on him unless his ideas become widely accepted/NHS & Govt guidance.

For example from the EU: www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/covid-19/latest-evidence/clinical#:~:text=An%20observational%20study%20of%201,and%20sore%20throat%20(52.9%25).

An observational study of 1 420 patients with mild or moderate disease indicated that the most common symptoms were headache (70.3%), loss of smell (70.2%), nasal obstruction (67.8%), cough (63.2%), asthenia (63.3%), myalgia (62.5%), rhinorrhoea (60.1%), gustatory dysfunction (54.2%) and sore throat (52.9%). Fever was reported by on 45.4% [2].
(Nasal obstruction = blocked nose, rhinorrhoea = runny nose)

The most commonly reported symptoms in children are fever and cough [8-10]. Other symptoms include gastrointestinal symptoms, sore throat/pharyngitis, shortness of breath, myalgia, rhinorrhoea/nasal congestion and headache with varying prevalence among different studies

What I would take away from this is - Covid is a new disease. Research is ongoing. Even top scientists don't know everything and aren't in agreement yet.

So anyone confidently asserting "a runny nose means you definitely can't have it" or "a covid cough is dry/barky/makes you gasp for breath" should be referred to the NHS advice.

That's what we're working with at the moment. If it becomes clear that there are additional diagnostic criteria related to the type of cough or other symptoms, they will be added.

Hi, according to a doctor on Jeremy Vine. Today, 21st of September. If you have a snotty nose, then it's probably just a cold. She said if you get a cough, without a runny nose and the cough is persistent, then it's probably covid. But with your runny nose, she said its a cold. If you have a loss of smell and taste, then it's covid.