How long would you avoid the gym with a cold now? Not covid

[cheesesandwichplease]

Three tests including pcr negative for covid after feeling ill last week. I feel fine now but have just read I could be contagious for two weeks, which surprised me, as I though really the riskiest time for spreading was when symptomatic in terms of colds.

Should I avoid the gym for another week? I have a three day specialist evening workshop booked and won't have opportunity again. But I don't want to be a dick and antisocial. What's reasonable?

Have not had any colds since pandemic started so this is a first!

I would personally use the cold excuse to avoid the gym for a good month.
But I presume you enjoy going, so I'd say you're more than ready to go back. I've never stayed away from anywhere with a cold for more than a week, and definitely not once recovered.

Ha yes I was rather looking forward to it as this workshop and instructor only comes around once in a blue moon!

If it wasn't for that golden opportunity, I'd be more relaxed about skipping some more days.

If I felt up to going to the gym, I'd go.

Colds have clearly survived some extreme periods of social isolation in the past two years, and we need to use our immune systems to have them working at their potential. Colds are too common to constantly avoid living normally for the sake of it. Keeping fit is an important part of living healthily.

The gym is not like a hospital or care home where people are more vulnerable and more caution is justified.

I honestly genuinely don’t even know why you would be considering not going to something because you had a cold last week and are now fine.

If I felt well enough to go to the gym, I'd go to the gym. Colds wouldn't come into it unless I didn't feel well enough to work out at all.

I would also go if I felt well enough and stay away if I didn’t.