To ring in sick with a cold?

[Sunnyautumnday]

I have a cold. I’m not too bad: snotty and headachey and generally feeling a bit run down, but not really bad. But I do have a cough.

Have tested negative on a LFT. But unsure of the rules, do I need a PCR? I’m fairly positive it isn’t Covid to be honest.

The guidance is a new continuous cough, a temp or loss or change to sense of taste / smell needs a PCR.

As for phoning in sick, only you know if you're well enough to work.

I hope you feel better soon

Yes you need a PCR so call in sick, get the test and isolate until the result is back.

You have a cough so you need a PCR. You shouldn't go to work until it comes back. If it is negative then it is down to whether you're well enough to work.

what does your work guidance say?
ours says to stay at home with any cold symptoms and to wfh.

Argghhh had a feeling that might be the answer I am just a bit worried about it looking bad, as I haven’t been there long. Still, can’t be helped.

Symptoms = pcr and isolate in meantime

If you've got a cough you need a PCR and to stay home until the results are in.

But unsure of the rules, do I need a PCR? I’m fairly positive it isn’t Covid to be honest

Unsure of the rules but ‘fairly positive is isn’t covid’ Nearly two years in.

You have covid symptoms. You need a PCR test. You can’t be pretty sure/fairly positive/anything else that it isn’t covid until you have a PCR.

Try not to worry about staying home. Going into the office with a cough would be worse.

depends on what/where your work is?
in the current climate, I'd suggest WFM if you can - particularly if in an office environment - coughing/sniffing/general cold symptoms willl make your colleagues feel anxious about sharing space.

& if you have a cough - get a PCR anyway

if you have a new continuous cough you need to isolate and get s PCR test (how are people still unaware of this after a year and a half!?)

If you can wfh then do so unless you feel too ill to work (and it doesn’t sound like you do). If you can’t wfh then let your employer know you’re isolating awaiting test results so won’t be in and will keep them informed.

You should have a PCR and stay at home until you get the results as you have symptoms.

A good friend of mine had 5 negative LFT tests before a positive PCR came in.

Thanks. It’s difficult to change your mindset from trying to go in no matter what. I don’t feel particularly unwell and nor would I describe my cough as continuous if I’m honest.

Taking colds in to work to share around is awful anyway. I always tell my team to WFH if it's minimal or take it off sick if it's bad, definitely don't bring it in and take down the whole team for the next week.

You can’t WFH in my role. It really isn’t a bad cold. I’d love to say it is and that I need a day in bed but if I am honest it is not.

You need to book at test. Lots of cases of covid start like this. If your double jabbed your symptoms may well remain very mild. You’ll be more if your the new girl that infected the whole work place with covid than the new girl that was isolating as she had covid symptoms and was awaiting a PCR as per government guidance.

If you have a cough you need to do a pcr! Lateral flows are so inaccurate. Likely just a cold but could be covid. Only you can make a judgment on whether to call in sick if it is a cold. Sometimes colds are very mild, other times not so much. I had a nasty cold in April. Took me 10 days to get over it. I felt rough (and no it wasn't covid). I couldn't have gone work though for the worst part, my sinuses were on fire!

The NHS sets quite a low bar for what "a continuous cough" means. From what you've described it sounds like you do need a PCR.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/symptoms/main-symptoms/#symptoms