Do we now have to self isolate with cold symptoms?

[Coconut49]

DH has a cold and slight cough. I thought I’d get him a lateral flow test just to double check not Covid despite no other symptoms and seems just like a cold (runny nose etc.). Went to pharmacy to get LF test - told assistant scenario and she nearly had an apoplectic fit. Apparently DH would be classed as symptomatic and we should all be isolating and get PCR test. She shouted at me saying ‘you should not even be here, you should be isolating!’. I tried to explain DH was just trying to ‘do the right thing’ and double check. But she was having none of it and banished me from the pharmacy. AIBU to think the assistant was over-reacting? Do we have to self-isolate for cold symptoms now? In the end I got some tests from a different pharmacy and DH tested negative. TBH I don’t think I will bother in the future after that reaction as we have had both vaccines now.

The pharmacist wouldn't have seen beyond the mention of a cough.

• 22:46baldafrique

@Coconut49
LF is for completely symptomless*

The three Covid symptoms to be free of are
Fever
Loss of smell
And new continuous cough. OP's husband was symptomless.

It can't possibly mean free of all symptoms of any illness, ever, or you'd have to get a PCR test/self isolate every time you got a headache or toothache or hayfever.

It means free of Covid symptoms, which includes the new continuous cough.

He has a cough. He needs a PCR. Dsis had similar and tested negative on an LFT. It was only me pointing out that she'd taken the wrong type that made her go and get a PCR done. Positive. Her partner and both small children caught it from her.

Ok so OP was possibly being unreasonable not to be completely explicit with the pharmacist that her fully vaccinated husband did not have a continuous cough.

Grandchildren get colds and coughs from nursery pre school with tiresome regularity, the staff don't get into a panic like this.

Well she will know for next time I guess and now knows what the different types of test are for

The "new continuous' bit has been explained (I think I read it first on Zoe) as three coughing episodes within 24 hours. That means coughing on three separate occasions within 24 hours. And it covers most coughs.

Seriously, staying home if in doubt and getting a proper test will do a lot more to stop the spread than messing around with non-sterile masks and staying home on the 340...ish days of the year when you don't have covid. You normally get the results within 48 hours, so why is it such a big deal?

It's 3 coughing episodes in 24 hours?
So how many coughs is each episode then...do I need to cough 50 times in each of those episodes or just a handful? If I coughed less than 3 times in 24 hours I probably wouldn't have a cold either to be honest and maybe I just swallowed wrong but it's highly likely if I have a cough accompanying a cold I will have more than 3 'episodes' in the time frame

OP has stated she's flouncing. Hopefully in the direction of a PCR.

I do find it amusing that people are questioning the intelligence and common sense of the OP about walking into a pharmacy when her DH has a slight cough. Why? Because to me a slight occasional cough isn't a continuous cough, and people don't know the difference for some reason.

Also this sort of thread sums up the whole pandemic for me. Most people I know who've had covid have had headaches and tiredness, neither of which are on the list.
I probably get either several times a week, so god knows how many people I've infected.
The guidance is garbage, this whole farcical is garbage.

OP cant have it both ways. You cant go to a pharmacy asking for a COVID test (LF) which suggests some level of concern that it COULD be Covid or you wouldnt bother going in, and then say well it cant possibly be Covid so I dont wish to follow their medical advice. Makes no sense.

@getyourfreakon

"That means coughing on three separate occasions within 24 hours"

It's 3 coughing episodes not 3 separate single coughs.

@justasking111

Grandchildren get colds and coughs from nursery pre school with tiresome regularity, the staff don't get into a panic like this.

Did anyone ever stop to think maybe if people just stopped sending kids in with coughs then everyone wouldn't constantly have them. This is actually a fact. I have a vulnerable DC pre covid we would have multiple admissions to hospital sometimes multiple times in one month as a result of coughs and colds picked up in school as they are constantly passed around. Now given the strict measures in school on self isolating, less people attending with coughs and fevers we have had much less of this and the respiratory ward in our local children's hospital also agree that they had much lower admissions this year as a result of the measures in place. Obviously you can't keep them off for every single cough of course its unreasonable once they have tested if they are negative then as long as they aren't really unwell they should go on but many times some of the children in these settings have coughs and fevers and are fairly unwell and should be at home resting not in school!

@baldafrique

This is going to be an issue with vaccines reducing COVID symptoms to mild...it will be hard to distinguish from common colds

And the whole point is is covid is reduced to the potency of common cold then we can all return to life as normal.

Sockwomble, when does a cough become a coughing episode.

If you talk about "having a cough", that probably means more than three mild mannered coughs. Don't be a dick, get a proper test and don't endanger others.

We test for every cold even though we know is a cold better to be safe

@Disneyblue

I do find it amusing that people are questioning the intelligence and common sense of the OP about walking into a pharmacy when her DH has a slight cough. Why? Because to me a slight occasional cough isn't a continuous cough, and people don't know the difference for some reason.

Also this sort of thread sums up the whole pandemic for me. Most people I know who've had covid have had headaches and tiredness, neither of which are on the list.
I probably get either several times a week, so god knows how many people I've infected.
The guidance is garbage, this whole farcical is garbage.

A voice of reason! I feel I’m living in a parallel universe sometimes 😩

We’ve all had colds here, DP tested himself for work in the morning, negative and by the evening he had a sore throat cough and streaming nose, he took a pcr test as the rest of us didn’t have a cough so didn’t take one, only the clearing your throat cough, guess what negative. Mentioning a cough nowadays is like saying Voldemort’s name from Harry Potter. It’s a dirty word. Some people do over react though I will give you that!

"Sockwomble, when does a cough become a coughing episode."

Since it is 3 coughing episodes or coughing for more than an hour I think you would be looking at several minutes or more of coughing on 3 occasions.

[quote headintheproverbial]@Lockheart - I can't imagine ever describing a cough which was continuous as 'mild'. You're being ridiculous, as was the pharmacist.

The DH didn't have continuous cough, fever or loss of taste/smell and therefore didn't have Covid symptoms. Although overlap in symptoms is possible this is not such a case based on the description.

Runny nose and mild cough are not symptoms of Covid ffs.

OP - YANBU. [/quote]
Thank you!

YABU. LFT are for asymptomatic only. He needs a PCR test, the LFT isn’t valid. Of course he needs a test, we’re being asked to get a test with ANY cold like symptoms. His symptoms are enough for a covid test.

Yes it’s unlikely that he has it, but you won’t know until you test and you have to isolate with him until the results comes in. The person in the pharmacy was correct in what they said.

@Disneyblue

I do find it amusing that people are questioning the intelligence and common sense of the OP about walking into a pharmacy when her DH has a slight cough. Why? Because to me a slight occasional cough isn't a continuous cough, and people don't know the difference for some reason.

Also this sort of thread sums up the whole pandemic for me. Most people I know who've had covid have had headaches and tiredness, neither of which are on the list.
I probably get either several times a week, so god knows how many people I've infected.
The guidance is garbage, this whole farcical is garbage.

This is a a very good point. I have several medical conditions which very occasionally include some of the symptoms listed for COVID. I’ve had sinus issues for the last 5 years and quite often ( 3/4 times per week) have no taste or smell. I’m not gonna run out and do a test everytime. People just need to use common sense which apparently isn’t all that common anymore 🤷🏼‍♀️

You obviously did wonder about COVID anyway OP!

Sockwomble is right. The definition has included the word "coughing episode" for a reason. Its not talking about single coughs, clearing your throat etc. Its effectively prolonged bouts of coughing.