Got cough

[purpleme12]

Got a cough not a bad one
Do I need to go to test centre or can I just do one of those lateral flow tests that I've just got through the post??

No, there's no point in doing a LFT for symptoms. You need to do a PCR.

Good news is there should be masses of availability.

It's a PITA to have to do it, but better safe than sorry.

You need to do a proper PCR test, the lateral flow tests aren't to be used when you have symptoms. You need to go to a test centre (or book a home PCR test) and isolate until the results are back.

Oh right I'm sure it's just a normal cough ☹️☹️☹️

@purpleme12

Oh right I'm sure it's just a normal cough ☹️☹️☹️

Then why are you asking

If you are sure it's not covid you don't need a test.

How are you sure it's just a normal cough?

I'd a cough recently and despite regular LFT testing for work I knew I needed a PCR - very easy to get an appointment and got the result less than 12 hours later.

I thought you had to get a test if you had a cough full stop??

@purpleme12

I thought you had to get a test if you had a cough full stop??

You do. A new cough and you need to get tested. Doesn't matter if you think it's just a 'normal' cough or not, you need a PCR test and to isolate.

That's what I thought
Was a bit confused by the earlier post

People at work said I could do the lateral flow ones. I wasn't sure if that was right which was why I was asking

People at work are wrong. If you have any of the three classic symptoms then you need to do a pcr test, not a lateral flow. Latyeral flow are only meant to pick up asymptomatic people.

@purpleme12

I thought you had to get a test if you had a cough full stop??

Your posts are very confused, you don't know if you need a test, you are sure it's a non-covid cough, you think you need a test full stop ..

How, after well over a year do you not know that if you have symptoms you need a PCR test. Ignore your work colleagues, they must also have spent the last year living in caves.

My previous post was a tad sarcastic, the emoji didn't post, my apologies to anyone who thought I also was unaware of the absolute basics of when to get a test.

I had mild covid last October and the cough was my first symptom. For me it was a dry cough that wasn’t particularly that frequent, probably 10 times an hour. It didn’t feel chesty or tickly but was similar to a tickly cough in strength and sound if that makes sense! One day later I felt a bit under the weather and had a headache. The general malaise and headache lasted about 3 days and then I felt better but lost my taste and smell for another couple of weeks. Maybe if you are hesitant you can isolate and wait a day or two to see if it is in fact a cough caused by any other reason or if you soon develop further symptoms in line with covid?

@BelleBlueBell I never said I didn't think I'd need a test
I always knew you should test
I did wonder at that point if my colleagues were right about the lateral flow test being ok to do which is why I posted
But people have given me the answer
Yes I did feel sure it's a normal cough like the 2 times before this one
But that doesn't mean I won't do a test