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AIBU?

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Original poster

Shop assistant coughing

174 replies

NameChangeAgain2 · 06/11/2020 20:56

I've just been to the local one shop stop to get milk (missing from our supermarket delivery). The shop assistant, wearing her mask on her chin, burst into a coughing fit half way through scanning. She turned away and drank some water then pulled her mask up before turning back and told me 'it's not Corona, people have been asking all day, I'm just full of a cold'. She looked really sweaty.

I'm so upset. I'm shielding a relative and haven't been to the local shop since February.

Aibu to think she shouldn't be at work if she's coughing all over the place to the point people have been asking her is if she has the virus all day? I have no idea if she's had a test, she might just be assuming it's a cold. We've been so careful. I want to phone the shop and ask if she's had a test, if not I still have chance to leave the house now before possibly getting sick and passing it on to the shielding relative. I also want to complain that they were wearing their masks on their chins. What's the point that isn't helping anything!

OP posts:
TidyOmlette · 06/11/2020 22:23

Lots of workplaces are forcing staff to stay at work unless it’s a positive result.

MrsMomoa · 06/11/2020 22:30

How are you going to cope for the rest of the winter if you're this paranoid?
It's cold/flu season.
Get a grip of yourself!

SpilltheTea · 06/11/2020 22:30

I think you're being unreasonable about her having a cough. They're so common and some last ages, so you can't jump to conclusions. However, it's not okay that she can't seem to put her mask on properly and is gross enough to cough all over everything and not cover her mouth.

Lovelynaughtycat · 06/11/2020 22:36

She's an ignorant twat and shouldn't have been at work.

Icantstopeatinglol · 06/11/2020 22:37

Dramalama your attitude is exactly why we’re in the mess we’re in now. People ‘know’ it’s not Covid. Even though we know people have different symptoms and a lot are even asymptomatic so how would you ‘know’? Unless you’ve developed X-ray vision that can see inside you and by some miraculous event also happen to be able to see something that is pretty much invisible to the naked eye then no you don’t know.
This is also exactly the same reason op was worried. We can’t assume everyone has common sense!

Leflic · 06/11/2020 22:39

Honestly if you can’t be infected, don’t go out. Literally everywhere has masses of people waiting to to your bidding. Let people help whilst they can.

However being ilL is subjective.

Lovely1a2b3c · 06/11/2020 22:39

Of course you're not being unreasonable OP. I can't believe people think that you are!!!

If the shop assistant had said that she just had cough-variant asthma, cystic fibrosis or COPD then you'd think 'fair enough' but anybody with ANY viral cough should be off sick at the moment- yuck!!!!

Lovely1a2b3c · 06/11/2020 22:40

And definitely phone the shop to ask why she wasn't wearing the mask on her nose and mouth AND why she was working with a viral cough.

Rosebel · 06/11/2020 22:42

This is ridiculous. My daughter gets a cough every year about this time and she has one now so test tomorrow.
We're already isolating and have been for a week as my eldest is waiting for her test result.
I'm lucky that I'm on maternity leave so don't have to explain to work but even if I were working I'd still follow the guidelines. Anyone displaying symptoms should get a test and issolte it's just selfish not to.
OP I hope your mind has been set at rest, and it sounds like she turned away so not too bad. I wonder if she had the mask on her chin as she has to wear it when she's on the shop floor but not when she's behind a screen.

NameChange84 · 06/11/2020 22:42

@Lovely1a2b3c

And definitely phone the shop to ask why she wasn't wearing the mask on her nose and mouth AND why she was working with a viral cough.
She did phone the shop. The woman was recovering from Covid from over a month ago.
Lovely1a2b3c · 06/11/2020 22:43

@Greenhairbrush

For goodness sake. Not every cough now is covid. Other illness still exists.
People should not be working with any viral cough at the moment without a negative test. The risk is too great- plenty of people get Covid mildy enough to think it's a bad cold but pass it on to others who aren't as lucky.
Curlygirl06 · 06/11/2020 22:47

@cathcath2

Shop workers do have to wear masks unless they are exempt.
If you read the last bit on there, you'll see that if behind a screen you don't have to wear a mask. I don't wear one on the till as I don't have to but when on the shop floor I do because I have to. Let's hope this makes it clear for everyone, a lot of people are not reading the rules properly.
Lovely1a2b3c · 06/11/2020 22:48

@NameChangeAgain2

Well I rang up and actually got through to the women who served me and explained my situation. She was very nice on the phone and said she tested positive for covid over a month ago after starting back at uni and has been coughing ever since but has been advised she isn't contagious any more as covid is her only symptom and is fine to be back to work.
Hmm I'm not sure if I'd be reassured by this. Is there research to show that you are definitely not contagious after a month?
jessstan1 · 06/11/2020 22:49

Why don't you just believe the assistant?

My cousin has a cough and feels embarrassed when she is out because people look at her. People have coughs for all sorts of reasons.

Lovely1a2b3c · 06/11/2020 22:49

@Rosebel

This is ridiculous. My daughter gets a cough every year about this time and she has one now so test tomorrow. We're already isolating and have been for a week as my eldest is waiting for her test result. I'm lucky that I'm on maternity leave so don't have to explain to work but even if I were working I'd still follow the guidelines. Anyone displaying symptoms should get a test and issolte it's just selfish not to. OP I hope your mind has been set at rest, and it sounds like she turned away so not too bad. I wonder if she had the mask on her chin as she has to wear it when she's on the shop floor but not when she's behind a screen.
Exactly @Rosebel , hope they get negative results.
GwenCooper81 · 06/11/2020 22:50

Having a screen exempts her from wearing a mask. For politeness sake I'd personally wear one. Grim to wear it on her chin.
I work in a shop. Had a previous postive result and I'm still coughing a month later. I wear a mask and walk away if I'm overcome by a coughing fit. It doesn't look good but the alternative is weeks off sick, leaving us even shorter staffed, pissing my boss off ( because I'm not actually poorly or postive still). Plus the lack of wages.
This year is different. I had no classic symptoms aside from lack of taste and smell. I tested postive. It's not worth the risk of not testing. But then we're told not to test without symptoms so I don't know what the alternative is?
I'd be fuming if you'd phoned me at work. If I and my boss deem it safe and legal for me to be there then it's not your place to question. If you'd have got someone else on the phone would you have asked? If they'd have told you then you'd have opened up a can of worms. I'm not even allowed to tell my regular customers why I've been off!

TableFlowerss · 06/11/2020 22:51

Well I had a cold a few weeks back and a cough that lasted a couple of weeks (if I try to talk too much in one breath I can still set myself off 😆) still now I can have a little cough and I say ‘don’t worry I’ve not got corona’ - I know because my dc brought a cough and cold back from school so I got them tested and it was negative but ripped through all of us!

In 7 years I’ve had 2 colds. My whole house had flu last year and I nursed them all. I definitely was exposed to the flu virus but I never had symptoms

I work with the public day in day out coughing and spluttering and touching stuff they have me 😱 I’ve also got kids who catch stuff and bring it back from school.

What I’m saying is, people could have it but have no symptoms. Others will simply have a cold with a cough, a cough due to asthma, smokers cough or a cough due to other reasons. There’s no point in worrying about it though because you could catch it from symptom free people.

She could have also had a test and it was negative.....

EatTheHamTina · 06/11/2020 22:54

I'm like you OP and very very cautious and panic when someone coughs.
I have anxiety anyway especially health anxiety so knowing she had it but now it's just a cough would still panic me. But realistically I'd try and think it was over a month ago and she most likely isolated and isn't contagious anymore. It would still send me into a bit of a state though!

PatriciaPerch · 06/11/2020 22:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

EatTheHamTina · 06/11/2020 22:56

@Leflic

Honestly if you can’t be infected, don’t go out. Literally everywhere has masses of people waiting to to your bidding. Let people help whilst they can.

However being ilL is subjective.

Not everyone has the luxury of not being able to go out. Hmm
ThatDamnScientist · 06/11/2020 23:01

@DramaLlama12

Proudauntie because it's the SAME SYMPTOM.OF A COLD I HAVE PRETTY MUCH HAD EVERY SINGLE YEAR FOR ABOUT 25 YEARS I could tell you when I'll get the cold , what symptoms I'll get on day 4 , what symptoms will be first to come then what symptoms will be the last to go I'm leaving this thread its bloody ridiculous I'm taking myself and my cold to bed ..the same cold I'll have probably until end of January I don't believe I have had coronavirus every year for 25 years either
And someone at our school thought the same and lo and behold they tested positive (only tested under duress as they were refused entry otherwise). No wonder cases are out of control.
ArranBound · 06/11/2020 23:16

I think you were wrong to call the shop and ask an employee about her health. She would have been within her rights to tell you to mind your own business. I politely would have said exactly that to you if it had been me.

I understand you're worried, but we can't go around thinking that everyone even just clearing their throat is riddled with Covid. Maybe you could have called a friend or neighbour to ask them if they could get/lend you some milk and leave it on your doorstep.

JaffaCake70 · 06/11/2020 23:16

My boss was coughing for a couple of days last week. She assured us it was just 'a bit of a cold' and carried on coming into work. On Monday she tested positive for Covid, on Tuesday my Supervisor who works closely with her also tested positive. YANBU.

Usernamenotavailabl · 06/11/2020 23:24

She knows her life and her body. You don’t.

I am on some medication that gives me a
Cough. I am sick of having to explain to people that I have had it for four years and so don’t need to be at home

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 06/11/2020 23:30

I have chronic sinus issues, which can can make me cough, and I get SO worried if I cough in public. I limit going out as much as I can (work from home, don’t socialise) as I am scared someone will say something, but it is not a new cough.