AIBU to say if you have a cough get a test

[ShouldWeChangeTheBulb]

I’m getting increasing pissed off with people online and IRL about not getting tested because ‘it’s just a cold’ or it’s ‘obviously not Covid’. FWIW I don’t get annoyed if someone visits family even though their not supposed to in their area. I think it’s inhuman not to have social contact so I can understand that but for god sake if you actually have symptoms lockdown straight away and get tested. I know it’s a pain in the arse but not wanting to do something is not a good reason for not doing it.
For context we are currently locked down as DS has it (he caught if from his teacher). When I tell people his symptoms I’ve lost count of how many people say ‘my dd has those symptoms but she had a runny nose last week so it’s just a cold’. You cannot tell if it’s Covid or not, the symptoms can be the same as any other illness.

An EU study of c1400 mild & moderate cases found that the symptoms were basically those of the common cold. The ones we are told to test for are those that are most prevalent in severe cases requiring hospitalisation. More than half of cases did not present with a fever. More than half of cases had blocked or runny nose or both.

Absolutely no one should be making a judgement that their illness is just a cold. The testing criteria in this country are basically nonsense and don't correspond to studies of symptoms. Among children this is just one of many circulating viruses, there's no way to tell that the cold they have is not covid.

www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/covid-19/latest-evidence/clinical

@ShouldWeChangeTheBulb

I think people just don’t want to follow the guidance and are creating all sorts of reasons to justify it to themselves.

No. GPs in my area have told children not to isolate or test despite a new cough with a cold. So it's not them "not wanting to follow guidance."

[quote DishRanAwayWithTheSpoon]@NotAnActualSheep that is the actual guidance?[/quote]
No, this is the actual guidance. The bit about coughing more than usual is in brackets, and it kind of gives the impression (to me, at least) that it's for people who have some chronic condition that causes coughing, rather than just acknowledging that lots of people cough normally. Maybe more than 3 episodes in 24 hours, even. But that if that gets more frequent then it would require a test. Just the way madame described it was good, I thought.

Maybe the "coughing more than normal" thing should be bigged up, because it is easier to notice that in yourself than working out whether something is a "coughing episode" or not. And whether you have already had 2 since this time yesterday! (If you have to think about it, I'd say probably not! I would view an episode as something causing you to think "go away, bloody cough" rather than a clearing throat kind of cough that you don't really notice).

@secretsnowsquirrel I have tried to address the points made by everybody not just those I agree with. Please point me in the direction of any I’ve missed.
It’s not ‘my definition’ it’s the definition of the government.

Runny nose and cough = get a test

Excep tthat's not what the guidance says and neither is it what the Covid helpline told me when I rang up to try and book a test for me and DS.

No wonder everyone's confused when people are spouting their own made up version of what symptoms require a test

@solidaritea the guidance is different in some local areas it seems. This appears to be because of lack of tests. I have already said obviously people should follow their local guidelines.

Our GP practice are video calling with people asking questions and saying yay or nay to getting a test depending on the answers. In our family bubble of 12 a cold went round very quickly. None of us were tested so that was a dozen tests saved for those that needed them. It is like panic buying loo roll if you get tested for every sniffle you are depriving others of tests.

@FrangipaniBlue could you link the guidance your referring to because that is not what I have seen.

I don't think OP is suggesting people get tested for every sniffle

Hiding thread, too irritating (not you OP)

@justasking111
No I don’t thinking being tested for every sniffle is a good idea. But a new continuous cough AND a sniffle you should.

My DIL had covid you don`t forget that coughing in a hurry, she obviously did not have a cold poor lass.

@justasking111 I believe that’s sometimes the case but for many the cough is no different to any other cough. The symptoms for Covid seem to vary hugely.

My DD has asthma and coughs quite a bit. She has for the last 3 years, so do you expect her to get tested multiple times a day each time she coughs?

@justasking111 hope you DIL makes a full recovery x

@CuntyMcBollocks no only if it gets worse.

But testing everyone with a cough or a cold isn’t feasible is it?

Testing can’t stop Covid, and can only give an indication of prevalence, and inform people to isolate. If people are convinced they have Covid, they should be isolating with or without a test. It will still spread via asymptomatic carriage or via those with atypical symptoms.

Mass testing of those with cold symptoms is not possible, logistically or ethically. Hence all the social distancing rules, which are our biggest defence against Covid in the absence of a vaccine. But from your OP you aren’t too fussed about those.

Jesus read the government website you cant just run for test with every little cough that's why the system is under pressure

YABVU and irresponsible.

A key reason people with actual symptoms can’t get tested is because people with Facebook symptoms have booked them. And don’t get me started on the just in case brigade.

For anyone who can’t use google, here is the link to the relevant section on the NHS website. And if that’s still too difficult for you, let me help you out.

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)

www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/symptoms/

www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test

There you go OP, no mention of cough + runny nose = test anywhere on the official .gov website.

And as I say, having spoken to the 119 helpline it's not what they told me either.

You're welcome.

A cough on its own isn’t enough to keep a child off school

A cough on its own is one of the main symptoms of Covid. Anyone with Covid symptoms must self isolate and preferably get a test.

We’re doomed if people are this stupid and selfish.

@secretsnowsquirrel I understand your point but people making up there own rules don’t going to help.
I comply to the social distancing guidance, it’s just that I have sympathy for people who want to see family and I know everyones situation is different. It’s not just that it’s too disruptive/can’t be arsed/ don’t think the rules apply to them.

@FrangipaniBlue

Runny nose and cough = get a test

Excep tthat's not what the guidance says and neither is it what the Covid helpline told me when I rang up to try and book a test for me and DS.

No wonder everyone's confused when people are spouting their own made up version of what symptoms require a test

You’re misunderstanding the OP’s point.

If you have a new continuous cough, you must self isolate and get a test, if you can.

If you have a new continuous cough and a runny nose you must still self isolate and get a test .The runny nose does not somehow miraculously cancel out the cough.

@aprilanne I have read it and am asking other people to do the same.

Jog on. It's a new and continuous cough, and there's guidance on what that means.

People may refer to post nasal drip as a cough but it's really not and it's very characteristic - you have a very obvious mucous cold, wake up with a mucousy throat, cough a bit in the morning to clear it but then do not cough much the rest of the day. It is usually not a continuous cough and that's why most of us feel comfortable not immediately adding to the Covid test backlog when our child has a post nasal drip "cough".

@CaraDuneRedux

Ha fucking ha.

Needed a test so I could send DS back to school. (I know it's a cold - his nose could run for Britain in the Olympics. But he ticks the "continuous cough" box).

No tests in my town. No DIY tests available. Nearest test centre with any tests 200 mile round trip, in Wales. No test slots available for the next week. By which stage he will have notched up the 10 days since symptoms appeared and I'll be allowed to send him back to school anyway.

In the mean time - no medical evidence = unauthorised absence. Another one of these and I get a fine from the LEA, whoop de doo.

The system is fucking broke (in fact I don't think it was ever put together in the first place). Boris and his merry men couldn't find their arses with both hands and a fucking map.

(If you are getting the impression, OP, that I'm fucking incandescently angry about this, then you'd be right).

It is not classed as unauthorised absence if you are off awaiting a test. That's bullshit