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?

I’ve read incidents of people thinking they e got just a cold, get tested and it’s been positive.

My ds has a cold/flu. He started with runny nose but that stopped quickly, turned into a fever and coughing. Very tired and lethargic.

It was inconvenient but we isolated and got him tested. Thankfully negative.

The issue is that testing is so slow, it’s not readily available, so people feel like they must only get tested if they’re really sure it’s covid.

But the point is, we don’t know! Symptoms are varied in adults and children.

If testing was improved, then we wouldn’t feel guilty for making the right call, which, in my view is to be cautious and get tested.

On this morning the dr did a differentiation between common cold , flu and covid..

You might be able to fund it.

My Ds was the same , started Sunday evening, i kept him off Monday, he went back Tuesday..

I spent a lot if time trying to define what kind of cough it should be what is defined as continous, he was coughing every 20 minutes . He us still snotty , not coughing

@Blackdog19

I’m in the same boat. Had horrible cold which has become a cough. Not planning to test.

Is it a continuous cough? Three or more coughing episodes?

If so, you need a test.

Lougle - that's tough on you ... it's hard to know what to do .. clearing the throat often, however, can't be equated to 'episodes of coughing', surely?

we've all had colds in this house - daughter started coughing in class and although it seems like its purely related to cold - she is coughing to clear the phlegm - yes worse at night and in morning. We kept her off and asked school what they advised as quite clearly other than the cough she is well. They gave us a test and asked us to do it - currently awaiting results.
My worry is that the cough is cold related but that we have carried the virus at some point so but the antibodies will show up and so the test will be positive.

DD is the same but with the exception of a bit of a dodgy rash too (she’s a very rashy child when she’s ill usually though).

@Cornettoninja a skin rash is a relatively common symptom amongst children (I think 1 in 6). You are definitely doing the right thing in getting a test.

My worry is that the cough is cold related but that we have carried the virus at some point so but the antibodies will show up and so the test will be positive.

Antibody testing is a different type of test.

I too have woken up with a cold but also a dry cough. Am having to test because I work in a school and can't return to work without one. Luckily I phoned this morning and have been offered a test slot at midday- couldn't quite believe it! Like you OP I am 99.9% sure the cough I have is related to my cold not to Covid. I guess I'll know in a few days whether I was right or not.

I have my normal seasonal cough that starts in September and runs til February. As I have had this every year since 2001, when I started teaching, do I bother with a test?

@kitnkaboodle

On the WHO list of symptoms it says 'a dry cough'.

But the NHS doesn't - it says if you have a continuous cough, you need to isolate and test.

Besides, it's possible to have a cold and COVID. So why people think they're exempt from government advice is beyond me to be honest.

the tests are 100%, it depends on the timing anyway

use usual hygiene measures, was your hands, throw away used tissues

@thegcatsmother

I have my normal seasonal cough that starts in September and runs til February. As I have had this every year since 2001, when I started teaching, do I bother with a test?

Your seasonal cough will caused by whatever virus is doing the rounds at this time of year.

If it’s a new continuous cough, you need a test. If you self diagnose as non covid and you’re wrong, are you happy to cause an outbreak in your school?

the tests ARENT 100%
that should have said

I’m in exactly the same boat. It feels 100% like any other cold I’ve ever had. I am now coughing but to get the gunk out of my throat -
is not a “dry cough” As Covid is.
No plan to test but my kids are now getting it which worries me. They don’t have Covid they have the same bloody cold I’ve just had. But if school insist on a test then I suppose I’ll have to. But what a waste of everyone’s time.

This thread is anotger exampke of how political mismanagemt and terrible comms have impacted the british public....
People with a productive cough getting tested is NOT the reason the testing regime in UK is such a massive failure.

In fact - with your symptoms - if you rang a dr, they referred you for a test and you had the results with 48 hrs, then it would be a sign the system is working. If that system was coupled with a health care system w enough ICU capacity, then the UK may not be in the situation it is.

Second wave anyone?!

What I want to know - how on earth have the gov managed to convince the average person that it is the populations fault? For not having stiff upper lip enough to battle on w a cold and refuse to get tested. Its totally baffling. And not ineptitude on a grand scale coupled with cronyism.

DD and DS both have cold-y coughs but DD not allowed in school with one, so I have to get her tested

Same thing here. DD started first, then DH and then me. I'm bunged up, runny nose and chesty cough with mucus.

My mum and sister keep pushing me to get a test but I don't fancy a 70 mile round trip to either be told there are no tests left and to find out my cold is just a cold... I'm 99.9999999% sure I do not have Covid!

@kitnkaboodle

On the WHO list of symptoms it says 'a dry cough'.

It's not the WHO we are expected to follow. It's the Government guidelines and NHS.

I’m in exactly the same boat. It feels 100% like any other cold I’ve ever had. I am now coughing but to get the gunk out of my throat -is not a “dry cough” As Covid is.

Covid coughs absolutely can be productive.

The NHS does not distinguish between a wet and dry cough. Only whether it is continuous or not.

It is really worrying that people are rewriting the NHS testing criteria.

DD9 is off school with a cold. Lots of snot, feeling unwell and yesterday (as with lots of colds) the cough started and she was flushed and hot.

I'm certain it's a cold but we did the responsible thing and got her a drive through test yesterday. I can't send her back to school without knowing for absolutely certain that she is not risking the health of her classmates or teachers.

I'm in an area where it's hard to get tests right now. However, we just kept trying (and trying!) until several all suddenly became available. People can get tests but it is harder than it should be and people actually have to spend some time and effort online checking for availability.

My mum and sister keep pushing me to get a test but I don't fancy a 70 mile round trip to either be told there are no tests left and to find out my cold is just a cold... I'm 99.9999999% sure I do not have Covid!

Are you and your household self isolating?

I've had exactly the same symptoms as you, though very mild. Caught from my three yo who had a runny nose but no cough or temp.

I've been frankly embarrassed to go anywhere for the past week due to the cough. It's just about gone now thankfully.

Hi, I know it is a horrendous time for eveyone at the moment, but just to be clear if you have any one of the three main symptoms of COVID you do have to self isolate, even if you do have a a cold too (it is obviously possible to have both a cold and COVID at the same time). However, a slight cough occasionally probably does not meet the definition of a constant cough (to check see www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/symptoms/). Hope you can get a test if you need one (I heard new tests are often released at 8pm so good to try booking one then but also to try throughout the as they release slots when they have them), and I hope you and your family are well.

People google covid symptoms and see the infographic produced by the WHO which has been used by numerous british newspapers, shared on fb etc. People dont8just get information from the govt, a lot of people get info from social media. Dr on this morning states that a mucous cough is not a symptom, I have seen this shared by numerous people. Of course people are gonna get confused and not know which is correct.

This is exactly why the rules on who should isolate and get a test are so simple - because many people will do anything to convince themselves the rules don't apply to them. You have one of the three symptoms that necessitate isolating and testing. That's what you should do.

And there are tests available. We've done it this week. My daughter had a cold and developed a continuous cough. We isolated, cancelled all of her birthday plans and booked a test for the same day. The negative result came back 36 hours later so we reinstated the plans and she's back to school on Monday. If the results had taken longer, we'd have had to take it on the chin.