NEW continuous cough.

[MinkowskisButterfly]

Can someone in the medical field explain what is meant by a NEW continuous cough...is that in the last two weeks, last week, or starts just after guidance is given? Thanks!

(I have a cough and breathless

Within the last 7 days, isolate 7 days from the start of cough or fever

Thanks

And what is a continuous cough? Do they start continuous or build up to it?

I felt like I was getting a sore throat the other night- next day was fine. Ears hurt a bit, headache but not necessarily related, tired (usual-not more so). I’ve sneezed a few times but don’t have a runny nose. I do feel tight chested and I’ve coughed a few times. Moving makes me cough more. No fever.

Tida a lot of the information is vague at best (not the fault of the NHS staff I know, if my experience today is anything to go by then they are as confused as we are)

I feel like I've got a build up of phlegm in my throat and need to keep clearing it ...I'm wondering if it's just thinking about it all the bloody time is making me imagine symptoms!

If you say you have 'a cough' rather than you coughed then I'd say it's enough to play it safe

By continuous it means repeated - so not a one-off cough to clear your throat. It doesn't need to be constant.

New - in the last 7 days.

If in doubt, err on the side of caution.

I wondered the same, dd (4) has started coughing today, not a lot just a few short coughs every few hours, but she’s not long got over a cold so could just be phlegm loosening, not sure what to do next week for school. If I keep her off and it’s just after effects of the cold and then I need to keep her home again if anything else develops

Single parent so as well as her being off school, I would need to be off work and older dc would need to stay off too as can’t get them back and forth school.

Before anyone starts calling me a selfish cunt or any of the other frankly disgusting things I’ve seen on other threads, I will be monitoring her closely before Monday, I have immuno suppressed family too so yes I realise how serious this is.

If she's starting coughing today then it is a new cough. If you send her into school with a cough they will just call you to collect her again so she doesn't spread it to everyone else.

Im asthmatic and I've a cough which started two weeks ago with breathlessness and chest pain, so as two weeks ago I can just go about as normal (I got sent for testing by 111 being in an at risk group and then got sent to a and e (a and e said I should not have been sent and got sent home again.

I'm interested in what is classed as a continuous cough, is it coughing few times a day, few times an hour?

i read it was a dry cough, not productive.

Dry cough, i.e. non-productive. No phlegm, sputum etc.

Continuous, i.e. doesn't clear when you stand up, doesn't get worse during the night, doesn't come and go.

@Paperdollss my dd got as far as the gate at school Friday, I mentioned to staff she started coughing in the car, a 30 minute drive. School said it was best to take her home which I did (she hasn't coughed since but is snotty) I'm going to keep her off, she is reception and we can just read some books and play when we feel like it . I am lucky though, I know that as I can stay home (I am full time carer for my eldest carer for my eldest child).

The guidance doesn't say anything about a wet or dry cough. Just a cough.
Continuous = repeated cough, not a one-off.

Typical Symptoms
COVID-19 typically causes flu-like symptoms including a fever and cough.

In some patients - particularly the elderly and others with other chronic health conditions - these symptoms can develop into pneumonia, with chest tightness, chest pain, and shortness of breath.

It seems to start with a fever, followed by a dry cough.

After a week, it can lead to shortness of breath, with about 20% of patients requiring hospital treatment.

Notably, the COVID-19 infection rarely seems to cause a runny nose, sneezing, or sore throat (these symptoms have been observed in only about 5% of patients). Sore throat, sneezing, and stuffy nose are most often signs of a cold.

copied and pasted from a website www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-symptoms/

How long are these coughs meant to last? They say isolate for a week but what if you still have the cough but are generally feeling okay?

Correcting my post above
How long are these coughs meant to last? They say isolate for a week but what if you still have the cough after the 7 days but are generally feeling okay?

@onetimeprepper it's fine to go out after 7 days (unless you worsen, in which case you call 111)

The nhs site has all of this information. (I'm not being snarky btw)

It is hayfever time

It means you don't just one off cough - it's a proper cough you keep getting. Any uncertainty just self isolate.

@MinkowskisButterfly thank you, will keep her home.

Have you any other symptoms? Fever etc
It’s very frustrating that they aren’t testing people who are presenting with a cough and breathless especially when you are in an ar risk group.

I think it is the best thing, not very impressed at the latest I have read that the government are planning emergency legislation to force schools to stay open if heads choose to shut. I also read about 4 month quarantine for elderly (70+) with sources are not what I would call reliable (express and fail) but no smoke without fire?!

No fever but the 111 doctor who spoke to me (I was rang back a bit 3 times after they cancelled my ooh appointment 111 gave me) said that it didnt matter that I didn't have a fever. I was supposed to be (according to the dr) go and get checked out, he was concerned about the breathlessness more than anything. I'm currently sat down and not to bad but moving about is leaving me short of breath, could well just be my asthma has spiralled out of control - I normally only need my inhaler for physical activity since quitting smoking 6 years ago but the last two weeks with this dry cough and headache my breathing is rubbish, using an inhaler 3/4 times a day as minimum.