How continuous is a continuous cough?

[Pansypath]

I have an new cough. Dryer than usual but not totally dry but that may be because due to asthma I always have a cough and stuff to bring up so even a dry cough would probably dislodge some of that. Also v hayfevery at moment. No temp. Cough is not continuous though. Can go on for half hour or so but then I can have whole several hours patches with nothing.

I’m the same and wondering too. I’ve got a dry cough worse in evening and morning, no temperature and hours without coughing in day. Feels asthmatic / hay fever cough but presume I should self isolate, are you?

It's a persistent cough, not a continuous cough. Nobody has a continuous cough. You should be isolating just in case.

Woman on BBC said coughing for an hour 3 times a day, or a cough that lasts for more than half a day, or if you have a usual cough and it's coughing more

She also said if you are sneezing and have itchy eyes etc it could be hayfever.

However I don't think I'd take the risk?

I am isolating in that we are staying home yes. But not within the household - I have young kids who need me every minute.
But I would like to know for my own need to know.

I hardly cough at all but have every other symptom. I'm on day 6 and have coughed about 5 times today.
It started tickly but I could occasionally cough up a bit of phlegm.

Oh and I have also had an earache in one ear for several days

This is what the NHS web page says:

My cough started as occasional tickle throat clearing cough. It got worse but I still have a long time without coughing, especially if I don’t have to talk.