People coming in to work with new coughs

[Whathefisgoingon]

Someone at my workplace had to go home yesterday as they felt unwell and had a bad cough.

Today they are in like nothing has happened, no PCR test has been done, just lateral flows.

This has happened a few times.

Where do I stand? I don’t feel comfortable with it.

Okay, that's fine -- sorry, it just sounded like you were responding in response as gin.

I still don't understand though why you feel that following government guidelines to test according to their symptoms list requires you to share your health information with anyone else.

Unless you mean that you don't actually care that you have COVID and would rather not know so that you don't need to disclose a positive test to anyone? In which case I'm sorry, that's just incredibly selfish given the year we've all just suffered through.

[quote Whathefisgoingon]@Wellbythebloodyhell and how does that work when you work with covid deniers? For those people the symptoms will never be covid. I work with some people like this too.[/quote]
I'm sure there's covid deniers everywhere, however don't assume that if someone who knows their own body comes into work with a cough because it's normal for them and ISNT NEW OR CONTINUOUS is a covid denier

Nope not the same person, I'm here. Not making up my definition. It says there coughing for more than an hour, or 3 bouts which described my daughters cough for which I got a PCR. Mine is a cold. Boring common or garden cold. And I routinely LFT.

Because I have a cough due to severe hayfever and asthma.

I have no need to do any tests while my symptoms are as they always are and I will not be doing one. And anyone who asked why not will be told to jog on. And I won’t be telling them my reason because that would require sharing my medical information which no one else has any right to.

Your final paragraph is absolutely not applicable and you should wind your neck in. I’m not selfish. Nor am I a COVID denier. I just know I have the same symptoms I always get. For your information I’ve checked with my gp every time I reorder or change meds (my hayfever is extreme and poorly controlled) and I had a test in February when my symptoms started (as they do every year). My GP doesn’t think I need a test and I trust their medical knowledge. That does not make me selfish.

The person doesn't have a COVID symptom so doesn't need to do a PCR or isolate. In fact, they didn't need to go home at all and I think the going home and doing a LFT only caused more concern.

They may be asymptomatic but that could be said of any of us.

Okay, so if you don't meet the definition of having a new continuous cough then you obviously aren't who I was referring to.

I thought I was pretty clear in saying I don't understand why those who admit to having a new cough would not test.

@Whatshouldicallme

I'm not referring to people who have a regular and ongoing condition with no change to that condition.

I'm referring to responses from people who have decided on their own that they don't meet the criteria despite the fact that they ARE coughing more than is usual for them.

The thing is that person will know what is usual for them OP was making presumptions about another person's health condition and has no idea what is usual and not usual for them

@Whatshouldicallme how do you know what is normal for someone else ?

@ginsparkles

I agree you probably just have a cold, but if you haven't had a test yourself you don't know that for sure. There is literally no way to know without a test, thus the guidance to test if you have any sort of new cough even if it is only 3 times across 24 hours.

I don't obviously, and I haven't claimed to. I am referring to those who by their own judgment say they are coughing more than usual but will not test because they have decided it is a cold etc.

I’m coughing more than usual but not continuously because my hayfever is atrocious. I’m not testing because I’ve been told I don’t need to. By my GP.

@Longestfewdaysupcoming have you read the entire thread? I am clearly talking about people who meet the NHS criteria for requiring a test and who don't test despite this.

Right, so if you have been told by your GP that you don't need to test, you are obviously not the type of person that I am referring to.

How do you know by looking at them who needs and does not need a test? Are you medically qualified?

I have read the thread. You and the op would require me to go home from work and get a test because I have a cough that is worse than normal.

How would you know I’ve been assessed by my GP and I don’t need a test unless I tell you my medical information? Answer. You wouldn’t. And you’ve no right to know. And asking is intrusive and rude.

Are you joking? First of all, I obviously can't see anyone on a forum so even if I did have the ability to diagnose people on sight it wouldn't help me here. I am talking about responses like those of @ginsparkles who said:

"I'm a person with a new cough... however it's not continuous, no bouts of coughing for over an hour. DD has a cold which I have not been given (thanks kid!) , we know she hasn't got COVID as she has had a PCR after being sent home. I do LFT's twice a week. I reassured all my colleagues of all these points when I arrived with a cough, and wear my mask if I am close to them.

All I am pointing out is that in a situation such as this one (which literally starts with the poster saying "I am a person with a new cough"), no one knows whether it is COVID or not without a test.

Except I'm not just making my own decision. I'm following guidance. I don't have a new continuous cough. I have a cough. It doesn't fit the description provided to say I should get a test. DD's did, so I tested her. If mine did I would too. My decision is backed up by not fitting the guidelines for testing and dd's negative pcr and my continual negative LFT's .

@MichelleScarn

A senior member of staff has said they haven’t had a PCR because they’re asthmatic so that’s the reason they were unwell yesterday.

Should this personal information be getting shared with you?

They do need to be careful telling people someone's diagnosis. It should be private!!!

I have asthma and wouldn't mind people knowing about it, but not everybody feels like I do. Also, it was possibly diagnosed recently for them and they are still adjusting to it in their lives. Really needs to be kept private.

The senior member of staff could have reassured others without saying about the asthma.

@MrsKypp It’s not confidential, he’s told the office about his asthma before.

The person themselves telling you does not negate the fact that a senior member of staff should not be sharing this medical information with you.

This is totally different from the ‘I’m scared to go back to the office’ threads
The OP is right to feel as she does. This person had a Covid symptom and didn’t get a PCR test and went back to the office. That’s not on.

@Geamhradh spot on.

People will still get coughs and colds. These haven’t disappeared.

Just to say that DH and I have confirmed covid. For both of us the first symptom was a cough BUT it wasn't continuous at all, just a small cough, and maybe only 4 times in the first day. Even now we both have full-blown symptoms (extreme fatigue, lost of taste/smell, headache, muscle aches, temperature, sneezing, runny nose) neither of us has been coughing more than a handful of times a day. Certainly nothing I'd describe as continuous or a coughing fit.
I'd personally err on the side of getting any cough checked out unless it's one you always have.

@Wherediditgo

This is totally different from the ‘I’m scared to go back to the office’ threads The OP is right to feel as she does. This person had a Covid symptom and didn’t get a PCR test and went back to the office. That’s not on.

Not necessarily, the OP is assuming the person has a new cough without full knowledge ( apart from office gossip) of their medical condition

unless it's the one you always have

Only the person coughing knows this its not for other people to think they know better and make assumptions