A really stupid question about self isolation

[FromTheAshes]

Eight days ago I went down with the classic symptoms of a cold, but no fever, cough of any description or loss of smell or taste. My daughter's nose also started to drip like a tap.

Yesterday, day 7, my sinuses exploded, throat felt scratchy and I had an occasional dry cough. Still no fever or loss of taste or smell. My daughter was at this point completely over her drippy nose and seemed fine.

Tests are unavailable in my area. Do I self isolate for 10 days from the start of my cold symptoms, or from the start of my cough? Current guidelines state I don't have to be over the cough to stop self isolating but is that two days from now, or eight?

Also, does my daughter self isolate for the next 2 days (ie until 10 days after the start of her cold symptoms), or does she have to self isolate for 14 days from the start of my cough?

Self isolate from the start of the cough and keep trying to get a test. Good luck-it’s a very trying process.

Has your daughter had a cough? If not she needs to self isolate as a contact of you so 14 days from the start of your covid symptoms.

Hopefully a negative test will make all that moot.

An occassional cough is not a symptom of Covid. I dont think you or your daughter beed to isolate.

a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)

That's the other thing I feel a bit stupid about. What is a continuous cough? I've been throat clearing quite frequently to clear a tickle ("ahem-hem-hem") but only actually had a big cough once, maybe twice in the last 24 hours. I'm sneezing like crazy, got all my usual sinusitis symptoms, and a full on blocked nose.

I don't drive, there aren't any walk in test sites near me so I'm at the mercy of a home test becoming available which they haven't so far. I'm keeping on checking.

I wouldn't say twice in 24 hours is continuous.

@BigRedBoat does the throat clearing count or not then? That's why I said occasional cough because I honestly don't know. It's not like I have to stop constantly to have coughing fits, but yesterday I was probably doing the ahem thing every hour or so. Only had to stop and cross my legs once that I can remember, which is how I personally define a proper cough 🤣

That doesn’t sound like a continuous cough.

You don't need a test. Save the tests for those with symptoms.

Just had two lovely phlegmy productive coughs in the last half hour. Totally in line with my normal sinusitis but I guess that classes as a persistent cough now. Hey ho, no way of getting a home test any time soon so looks like I'll be having an extended holiday at home with my daughter, since there's no way I can do my job while she's at home with me.