If not covid, then what?

[Ihatesandwiches]

Covid test came back today. Negative. I work with kids, worked during Lockdown. Started coughing on Wednesday. I have coughed myself sick every day. I can't talk for more than 5 minutes without getting breathless and coughing. If I walk at more than a slow amble, I start coughing. What the hell is wrong with me?

A virus.
Just because Covid is around doesn't mean there aren't other viruses. That's why many of the people who "definitely" had it last year probably didn't.
DD was hospitalised last summer with all the symptoms. If she'd had them.in March she would have been diagnosed with Covid.
Or a false negative, of course!

Any number of respiratory infections that we all get sometimes but don’t test for. Don’t be afraid to speak to your GP if you feel you need to.

It could have been a different virus. Have you had the cough for a long time prior to testing? I wonder if itcould have been COVID but you are now over it/fought it off (so it doesn't show up on a test any more) but the cough often lingers unfortunately from what I understand

Wouldn't rule out Covid. Apparently the false negative rate for tests is quite high.

But sometimes a covid test can be negative and then the next day positive. You could always get another test?