My DD has a cough - now what?

[temogemo]

Hi everyone, so my daughter has developed a cough but no temperature or any other symptoms. So what does that mean? Do we as a household have to stay in isolation? I'm so confused!

Yes!

I don't know, but my son had a cough (wet cough as opposed to dry, and no temperature) over weekend so we kept him off school yesterday as a precaution (sent my daughter though) - but he only coughed once the entire day so is obviously on the mend. I have no idea whether I can send him today or not?? So confusing.

Yes, whole household isolate for 14 days. Restart the 14 days every time someone new develops a cough or temperature.

This might help. DH Is sock so he's self isolating. www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance

Yes. Whole household self isolate for 14 days.

But what if the cough is neither continuous nor dry? Seems like an extreme measure to isolate us all if it's not even the right sort of cough. But I don't want to be a dick about it so we obviously will if we need to! I just don't feel it's clear.

The advice is clear. If you have a new cough or a fever, or both, isolate the family. That is literally what the advice says.

The advice is maddeningly unclear. Yes if you're coughing none stop you isolate. Yes if you have a temp you isolate. But coughing a few times over the course of a day? To me that neither continuous nor persistent. I wish the government would clarify

It is so clear. Cough or fever = isolate

So simple. Yes, many many people will be isolating for nothing more than a cold or regular cough but it doesn't matter. Extreme is what we are experiencing.

But what if the cough is neither continuous nor dry?

Continuous just means ongoing, as in... you have an actual cough, not a momentary throat clearing or brief cough because of a dry throat etc. Come on, everyone knows what a cough is!

I've called 111 and they have advised my DD stay home for 7 days but as parents we do NOT have to isolate with her so one can still go to work.

The information being giving is not clear or consistent !

Did you get through to 111 quickly?

@tinyhappyaliens yes, quicker then I thought

That’s not the rules anymore temo. You all have to stay home now for 14 days

Yes whole household isolation for 14 days

Remember child can show hardly any symptoms

111 advice will be changing today as all updates from BoJo filter through. Remember that 111 is a call centre that has to stick strictly to scripted guidance, they cannot make it up just because they watched the news. They have to keep advising as per the internal guidance until that gets updated.

@ChipsyChopsy have you got the source for the 14 days restarting every time someone new is ill? I thought it was 14 days from first symptom of first person, not 14 days from first symptom of last person. We are family isolated since DS got a cough last night...

Okay thanks everyone, will do the 14 day isolation - 111 should really update the scripts ASAP as they're giving the wrong info out

You all have to self isolate for 14 days

The advice is also not to phone 111 unless you're unable to cope with the symptoms as they are overwhelmed, which is possibly why they haven't updated that part of the advice.

From BBC:

What is the UK now doing about coronavirus?
On Monday, Prime Minster Boris Johnson announced significant new measures:
■ Anyone with a fever or persistent cough should stay at home for seven days if they live alone or 14 days if they live with others. Anyone who lives with someone displaying coronavirus symptoms should also stay at home for 14 days. People who have to isolate themselves should ask others for help

Yes you all need to isolate for 14 days now

It's hard isn't it my Dd12 has just had a mini coughing fit not sure if it was just one of those things as sometimes you do just cough for nothing so all sat here looking at her trying to see if it happens again presumably they mean a persistent cough and not just s one off

youneedtocalmdown I’m in the same position, ds2 started a dry cough on Sunday, today it sounds chesty, no fever. People keep saying isolate for a new cough but isn’t it for a new DRY cough? So ds2 stays off school but the rest of us are ok to carry on as normal? And if a chesty cough is ok then what about a chesty cough with fever? I’m going to phone 111 this morning

DS started with a cough last night. We are all staying at home for 2 weeks.
Today, he is blowing his nose lots. Does this mean it's unlikely to be Corona? We will still isolate just wondering if this might be a false alarm, and we might have to repeat the exercise again!