What is classified as a "continuous" cough?

[Marahute]

Not trying to be goady at all, but DH and I are disagreeing on this.

DD has a cold and chesty cough. I don't think she should go to nursery tomorrow per the Govt. guidelines. She's had the cough for less than seven days. No fever. Runny nose.

She's not coughing a lot at all, but still definitely has a cough. DH says it's intermittent rather than continuous. He thinks I am overreacting.

FWIW I am the one who will have to take time off to look after her, as DH earns more and it just makes financial sense. Although also the time off is never ideal as obviously we will still be paying nursery fees despite losing wages. I would love to feel as confident as DH does, that it's OK to send her in... but I don't.

Any cough that is not the norm for you according to the expert on the radio. he said it wasn't appropriate for non medically qualified people to try to distinguish between cold and symptoms of Covid-19 and any cough which is not the norm triggers isolation. So your DD should not be going.

I have just read on another thread that Government guidance for schools has been updated this morning and they are to immediately isolate and then send home children with coughs.

Hi @hasadigaEeebowai where did you hear this please about government guidance?

www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-educational-settings-about-covid-19/guidance-to-educational-settings-about-covid-19

OK. Well that is all coming down on my side. Thanks!

I think it's saying what staff should do if children develop new symptoms while at the setting? But I would be inclined to take DD out in your situation. DS went to school today, but I felt a bit unsure, as he has the mildest of mild colds. School were insistent he should attend when we described symptoms. It is so hard making these judgements!

I came on specifically to ask what is a continuous cough!
48hrs ago I developed a headache, bad sore throat, aching limbs. This continued yesterday with 1 bout diarrhoea and extreme tiredness.
Today sore throat has finally gone 🎉 headache is mild, less achy, runny nose has started...and a dry cough 🙈 The cough comes in fits and starts .
To me, I feel like I have a cold and don’t think it’s coronavirus. I’ve called in sick today based on the onset of a new cough - but I don’t know if I can work or not as I don’t know what they’re defining as a continuous cough! I haven’t had a temp at any point. I work in very close contact with the elderly (healthcare professional) I’m not under pressure to go in from management, but I’m aware my absence is problematic as people having to be cancelled.
So am happy for any advice or links anyone has found to help me clarify what a continuous cough is (am hoping Boris and co will clarify at their press conference)
Thanks

To me a continuos cough is not one that's a one off because you've breathed some dust in or have drunk something thats gone down the wrong way.

Hasa - schools will only isolate and send home children with new coughs. My ds has had a cough for the last 3 weeks. He finally got diagnosed with a throat infection on Friday. He won't be sent home.

Allsizes from what you've described you would definitely meet the criteria for self-isolating for 7 days. All the more so if you're working with people vulnerable to covid19.

It’s a new dry cough isn’t it? So a chesty cough is “fine”, not sure about if you have a chesty cough and a fever though.

It’s a new dry cough isn’t it? So a chesty cough is “fine”, not sure about if you have a chesty cough and a fever though.

NO! Its any cough or any fever

some sources specify dry cough and others just say cough?

It's a persistent cough, not a continuous cough. So a once off cough from dust, something going down the wrong way etc is not a concern. A persistent cough is basically what we would generally describe as a cough. So you're coughing constantly, or you're coughing several times an hour or you're coughing multiple times a day. If we had any of those normally, we would say: I've a terrible cough; I've a cough; I've a bit of cough.

Any of those count as a persistent cough. So yes, the responsible thing to do is to keep your dd home.