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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

People with coughs shouldn’t be allowed in restaurants?

396 replies

Andrewsgirl · 15/07/2021 00:02

AIBU to think people with continual coughs shouldn’t be allowed in a restaurant at the moment and to be annoyed a restaurant allowed someone with a very obvious cough dine there?

OP posts:
FrangipaniDeLaSqueegeeMop · 15/07/2021 00:03

Is there something in the MN water? What is it with these weird threads?

gardeninggirl68 · 15/07/2021 00:04

Coughs don't always mean covid though

What was the restaurant supposed to do? Boot him/her out?

XenoBitch · 15/07/2021 00:04

A cough could mean anything. It is not always Covid, for goodness sake. If my acid relflux is playing up, I cough a lot. Should I be banned from public places too?

MyDcAreMarvel · 15/07/2021 00:05

Umm no, a relative of mine has copd should they not be allowed to eat out?

Nicknacky · 15/07/2021 00:06

Don’t be so ridiculous.

jayde28 · 15/07/2021 00:06

You are being unreasonable. I have asthma and have had a cough since I had a large asthma attack in May despite steroids and inhalers. I lateral flow twice a week and as I work for the NHS have a pcr every two/three weeks. I am also double vaccinated since March.

It would be totally unfeasible to ban everyone that has a cough as not every cough is Covid related. I understand why you are saying this as anytime I cough in public I get stared at which is uncomfortable but I'm also not going to stay in my house forever. Shielding for most of the past 18 months was more than enough.

cherry2727 · 15/07/2021 00:07

To comment or not.....

How will the restaurant know that the cough is continual ??
How will they know that you have a cough unless upon arrival you are already coughing - how can they judge that the cough is Continual ?

ikeepseeingit · 15/07/2021 00:09

What? People have coughs for all sorts of reasons. Smoking, cancer, asthma, hay fever, long COVID, allergies. You’re basically banning people for being alive at this point!

Buttybach · 15/07/2021 00:11

Asthma
Copd
People with CP or MD who aspirate
Throat polyps
Heart issues
All of these people cough!

FangsForTheMemory · 15/07/2021 00:13

I’ve got asthma AND hay fever at the moment. Cough cough. Tell you what, OP. Why not ban yourself from going to restaurants.

Monty27 · 15/07/2021 00:14

Nice try OP

howdaft · 15/07/2021 00:16

Ffs. My dad has asthma, so many things aggravate his chest and trigger a cough, he'd never be allowed out the house if everyone thought like you.

HalzTangz · 15/07/2021 00:16

@Andrewsgirl

AIBU to think people with continual coughs shouldn’t be allowed in a restaurant at the moment and to be annoyed a restaurant allowed someone with a very obvious cough dine there?
Yabu I have a continual cough that ive had for years, why should I not be allowed in a restaurant just because you are paranoid that cough=covid
Theblacksheepandme · 15/07/2021 00:19

You must be trying to wind people up? I too suffer from acid reflux and it can cause me to cough a lot. I agree with FangsForTheMemory and you need to ban yourself.

KurtWilde · 15/07/2021 00:22

OP other reasons for coughing are still available, they haven't all disappeared just because COVID exists.

Mintjulia · 15/07/2021 00:23

So people with hay fever aren't allowed to eat Hmm

DifficultPifcultLemonDifficult · 15/07/2021 00:25

Its not just a cough that's a sign of covid though, where will it end since it seems just about everything is a symptom?

Original poster
Andrewsgirl · 15/07/2021 00:26

I’m not trying to wind anyone up. I am interested in what other peoples thoughts are. When I made the booking the email confirmation clearly says you should not attend if you have Covid symptoms. A continual cough is a Covid symptom. I was shocked to sit at a table next to a diner who spent most of the night continually coughing.

OP posts:
Shelddd · 15/07/2021 00:27

It would be great if that happened but probably not realistic.

Shelddd · 15/07/2021 00:28

@Andrewsgirl

I’m not trying to wind anyone up. I am interested in what other peoples thoughts are. When I made the booking the email confirmation clearly says you should not attend if you have Covid symptoms. A continual cough is a Covid symptom. I was shocked to sit at a table next to a diner who spent most of the night continually coughing.
I had that happen to me too and I ended up leaving early.
NCJuly2021 · 15/07/2021 00:29

A NEW continuous cough is a covid symptom, not a continuous cough altogether...

rooarsome · 15/07/2021 00:30

I went out for a little walk in the park with my Dad and he was accosted by someone after he started to cough. He's got fucking advanced lung cancer.

XenoBitch · 15/07/2021 00:30

@Andrewsgirl

I’m not trying to wind anyone up. I am interested in what other peoples thoughts are. When I made the booking the email confirmation clearly says you should not attend if you have Covid symptoms. A continual cough is a Covid symptom. I was shocked to sit at a table next to a diner who spent most of the night continually coughing.
A continuous cough is only a Covid symptom if it is actually Covid. There are lots of reasons for a continuous cough.
NCJuly2021 · 15/07/2021 00:31

The NHS website even states:

a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)

So only a NEW cough. You have no idea if that person’s cough is new or if they usually cough!

MalingeringMary · 15/07/2021 00:31

I coughed for two hours yesterday cos I got a bit of crisp stuck in my throat. Continually.