Awful cough after negative test

[lurchersrule]

A colleague who had been isolating since Monday after developing a cough returned to work today following a negative test result. I thought that was against the rules but it turned out she had an awful cough still! Not persistent as such but when it came I'd never heard anything like it in my life! She was sent home after a few hours but I had sat about 2m away from her for some of that time - not face to face, sort of behind her.

I'm so anxious now and angry as well. Why would anyone do that?

Are you vulnerable op?

Get a grip. She’s had a negative test, would you be so angry in normal times? I’ve sat in work with stinking colds, coughs & viruses pre-covid.. I don’t take days off unless I’m serious under the weather. 🤷🏼‍♀️ Sounds like she probably should have been at home if she was that poorly but maybe she didn’t feel so bad when she woke up.

Boris is isolating due to a close contact. That’s different. And even after a positive test, a cough is the one thing you can continue to have but resume normal life. It’s acknowledged coughs can linger on. Within any virus, you are no longer infectious after 5-7 days in most cases. The 10 day isolation is precautionary.

Persistent cough is common in many people in winter. Some, myself included, are prone to keeping a cough for weeks, even months, after a slight cold, for instance. They are not infectious and they are fit and well, they just cough. Annoying (even more so to themselves!) but not dangerous.

I get we're all a bit paranoid in the current climate, but some perspective is needed OP.

Boris is isolating because he came into contact with a positive case.. do you actually read or just skim to what you want to see?

Covid is not the only virus to exist. There are still thousands of other viruses out there. Not everyone can afford to stay off work every time that they get sick. Plus coughs can last for weeks. As long as she isolated as soon as she got symptoms and waited until she got her negative result she hasn't done anything wrong.

I have been off work with cough negative test so
Ok to go back but i had extra couple days off to get rid of cough as no one wants me in the office coughing regardless and i would of felt self concious too , i am only temping as well so don't go in don't get paid but felt right thing to do

I've been in a room being coughed over by kids for weeks. Literally sitting on my knee coughing into my face. No ppe. Sen school so kids aren't tested as it wouldn't be possible.

She has a negative test . She has a cough. Coughs are and always have been s thing.

You need to lighten up a bit. She has a negative test , you have absolutely no right to tell her she can't be in work because you don't believe the test.

She's followed the guidelines , she can come to work. Whether you like it or not

@SpillingTheTea

Boris is isolating because he came into contact with a positive case.. do you actually read or just skim to what you want to see?

How rude - do you read or skim yourself? I have said there have been positive cases in our workplace in the last week. No need for us to isolate as we have, of course, followed rules and socially distanced. Johnson also followed the rules and wore a mask and maintained distance, yet he must isolate .

I've literally just explained it.

You need to read the rules OP

If you have symptoms and get a test, then if it's negative you can go back . It doesn't have to be 14 days

If you're s contact of a positive test you need to isolate for 14 days irrespective of if you tested and got negative as you could then go on to get symptoms later on in the 14 days. Therefore the test isn't helpful.

You REALLY need to read the rules before you lash out at people OP

If she has had a negative it is unlikely it is Covid (although not impossible). However, I would say if you have a horrible cough it is best to stay off work. Other viruses are also infectious. So you could give it to your colleagues, then they need tested, their households need to isolate and pressure continues to build for the testing system and the NHS. So yes I would say if you still have an potentially infectious cough (I.e not one have has been lingering for a weeks) you should not be in work. Especially if you are off on full pay.

Right, so you work somewhere that isn't Covid secure and there have been positive cases very recently. You have spent significant periods of time with people who have definitely been in close contact with at least one positive case. You develop a very nasty cough but test negative. You know you work somewhere where the majority of people (and there are a lot of people...) don't have the app, so you probably won't get picked up by it. Would you not stay off until your cough died down a bit, especially if there were no financial concerns?

to the PP above who stayed off despite losing pay as a temporary worker.

@OpheliasCrayon

Symptoms -- test - negative result = can go back to work immediately.

Been traced as a contact of someone who's tested positive = stay at home for 14 days regardless of negative test as the theory is you could test negative but then develop symptoms at some ookt after so you have to isolate 2 weeks.

She's done nothing wrong. She can be at work

This.

Coughing like a sea lion 😆

Sorry op I hope it all turns out fine 👍🏻

OP I understand your concerns.
There are quite a high number of false negative tests. Absolutely if the person has no financial repercussions the moral and decent thing to do, in the circumstances you describe, would be to temporarily stay off work. Unfortunately I don't think they're legally obliged to.

@lurchersrule

Right, so you work somewhere that isn't Covid secure and there have been positive cases very recently. You have spent significant periods of time with people who have definitely been in close contact with at least one positive case. You develop a very nasty cough but test negative. You know you work somewhere where the majority of people (and there are a lot of people...) don't have the app, so you probably won't get picked up by it. Would you not stay off until your cough died down a bit, especially if there were no financial concerns?

to the PP above who stayed off despite losing pay as a temporary worker.

I work somewhere that is overwhelmingly not covid secure. I teach SEN. We have no distancing, personal care, no ppe, physical contact all day, kids sneezing coughing in our faces. Lots of staff off with confirmed covid and lots of confirmed covid cases in families.

But yes. If someone has symptoms, tests negative, I would fully think they'd be in work and happy to work with them

You truly need let this go

I’m with you, I would not be happy even pre covid of someone coming into work who clearly has a bad cough. Where my son works, they don’t get paid when off sick, only SSP so people come in when they clearly shouldn’t be in and before you know it, everyone catches it.

I'm with you OP!
It's not a time to be rushing back to work with a cough, ANY cough, to pass onto someone else.
I work with people who are coughing - it's the same cough they have had all year. That's fine. If they develop a severe cough I'd want them to stay home until it clears a bit. I don't want to catch it then have to isolate my whole house (two adults miss work, kids miss school) whilst we wait for a test for a cough I caught off of someone in work!
I don't trust all negative tests either. Was it self administered? If so did they do it correctly?
I think everyone should get paid full sick pay to encourage this, though I realise that's not happening and understand in those circumstances people rushing back to work.

Sounds like she had a cold or similar and probably has asthma which means she gets a cough 10 times worse than most people which probably will go on for weeks. I get exactly this. Had a negative test a few months ago in same situation and went back to work straight away as I know when I get that cough it will go on and on so I just have to get on with it.

If she is negative and hasn't been in contact with anyone who is positive then she is all good covid wise.

Is your workplace strict on sickness? Could she put on a final warning with possible termination if she goes off sick?

You need to stop worrying about catching COVID from her @lurchersrule , as she had a negative test. She's not broken any rules, and (most likely) does not have CV.

Personally if it was me I probably would stay off and have another test if it persisted .

So? People get coughs all the time and have done since humans existed! Sometimes coughs can linger for weeks! What she supposed to do, not come in to work for weeks on end even though she’s negative. Please get a grip and check your anxiety levels

"awful coughs" have been around for years you know

When I get a cold I always get a cough too. The cold may last a week but the cough can last six weeks. My cough sounds awful but generally I feel fine. I should not be expected to stay off work because my colleague doesn't like the sound of my cough.

Your colleague has done everything correctly.

A negative test when you've symptoms means that your symptoms are not caused by coronavirus.

However! Prior to a sniff of COVID, my pet hate in life was idiots coming to work, snottering and sniffling and coughing all over the gaff.

Therefore - yanbu to not want to catch what she has, but whatever she has is not COVID.