Will coughs ever be allowed again?

[Twokitstwokats]

I have 3 children and every time one of them coughs I panic. So far we have tested and isolated for every cough, but it is getting very tedious. They have had so may pcrs. Today we went to softplay for the first time in 2 years and so many kids were coughing. I just kepy worrying we would have to keep testing and isolating.
Do you think there will come a time when a cough is 'allowed' again?

Human instinct is to avoid people coughing, sneezing and spluttering. Because it spreads viruses and bacteria. None of us want a common cold much less a deadly novel virus. They interfere with life to one degree or another.

In the past people have tolerated people socialising who are clearly infectious without regard to spreading illness. But a lot of people found it irritating. I think it will take quite a few years before the majority go back to accepting people spreading viruses in quite the same way.

That being said coughing can continue beyond infection due to damage and irritation.

I sure hope so, OP.

What we are doing now is not sustainable.
I now let myself cough occasionally in public.

Typically because I just swallowed a bug.
I Stare down people who look at me askance.

I have noticed people are starting to cough more in public now.

It was quite strange when you never heard anyone cough when out in public.

Thing is, there are many reasons that people cough, it does always mean someone is ill/ infectious.

Of course you can cough. My hayfever has caused me to cough a few times and I'm not going to hold it in just because other people might suddenly get scared.

The covid cough is a continuous one so I donf see how the odd bit of coughing is wrong.

And there is no ban on coughing, its not illegal.

My son has an allergy. That has made him cough and sneeze over the last year. He didn’t want to go out in the end as people moved away from him and stared. It’s like no other illness are allowed

Clearing your threat or an occasional cough is not the worrying continuous cough that is a bing-bong symptom

I have hay fever (with post nasal drip) so find myself coughing sometimes, and do find myself explaining that it's hay fever exactly like I get every year and that I have no other symptoms or recent exposures of concern. People seem fine about that (especially as it only really happens outdoors, where people are less concerned in the first place)

I wouldn't really want to be close to someone who is coughing frequently though.

We went camping the other week and literally all I could hear around the campsite the whole time was people coughing. I was wondering if everyone used to cough so much before COVID and I just didn’t notice it, or are people just really unhealthy at the moment.

I was in my local shop the other day and did that thing where a bit of saliva accidentally goes down your wind pipe randomly and I was so afraid to cough I held it in until I’d paid and got out of the shop. My eyes were streaming!

I had a cold with a very bad cough a couple of weeks ago. Obviously had pcr test which was negative but I’ve been left with a very persistent cough and I keep nearly choking to death trying not to cough in public!

I only have to clear my throat near ds and he asks me to test. I've started doing it to wind him up now

It's tough if it's not allowed really! I have a cough with hay fever and I'm surprised nothing has been said to me but as far as I'm concerned people have to accept it as I can't help it.

We used to cough to hide a fart.

Now we fart to hide a cough 😆

It’s ridiculous, I often cough and have to clear my throat after eating due to acid reflux people give you funny looks!

It better be allowed soon, if not I guess I'll have to get a personalised t shirt saying " ITS NOT A NEW F*ING PERSISTENT COUGH" and maybe a 🖕on the back of it.

At least I am not alone!

@Threebillygoatsgruff

It better be allowed soon, if not I guess I'll have to get a personalised t shirt saying " ITS NOT A NEW F*ING PERSISTENT COUGH" and maybe a 🖕on the back of it.

Love it

Coughs don't need permission so they were never not allowed🤣

I haven't panicked about any coughs yet and both DH & I had Covid last year.🤷‍♀️

I cough, no one said anything.

DS has asthma/allergies and coughs ALL the time. I PCR test if there’s a notable exacerbation that hasn’t eased off after half a day (or a day of pollen is very high) but I’ll be honest, after 20 negative PCR tests in 12 months- tests I’m doing mostly for other people (nursery)- I know what it is!- it’s wearing very thin.

If people stay clear of those with coughs and colds, or employers are more accepting of those with them working from home who can when they have them, perhaps fewer people will have them. Hard to find any positives from the pandemic, but this could be one.

@newnortherner111

If people stay clear of those with coughs and colds, or employers are more accepting of those with them working from home who can when they have them, perhaps fewer people will have them. Hard to find any positives from the pandemic, but this could be one.

Not all jobs can be worked from home though... so people with colds will end up on the sickness disciplinary ladder.

@newnortherner111

If people stay clear of those with coughs and colds, or employers are more accepting of those with them working from home who can when they have them, perhaps fewer people will have them. Hard to find any positives from the pandemic, but this could be one.

You do realise that won't help those of us who cough for other reasons, like hay fever, acid reflux, asthma, allergies etc? I certainly won't be working from home just because I'm coughing, I'd never go anywhere!

Pahaha love how people say stay at home if you have a cough...okay ill just tell pollen to let me know as soon as I wake if its going to irritate my ebough today to cause a cough that might last less than a few minutes and that ill have it a couple times throughout the day.

Don't be silly, its not something I can predict, otherwise will just stay at home permanently and never go anywhere

I cough because of allergies/post-nasal drip - right now it is horrendous with hay fever. I just say “it’s hay fever, I did a lateral flow test on XY date” if anyone gives me a funny look.

That said, I was at the dentist for a checkup the other day. During my scale and polish the nurse had the sucky tube thing at the wrong angle and water spray went down my throat. I had to do the “stop signal” and sit up for a choking fit, streaming eyes, the works. I was really mortified. (Dentist and nurse were both lovely, plus PPEd to the max anyway.)

We went camping the other week and literally all I could hear around the campsite the whole time was people coughing. I was wondering if everyone used to cough so much before COVID and I just didn’t notice it, or are people just really unhealthy at the moment.

They are simply making up for lost time.

I think the real question is "Will we ever be allowed to have a cough (or high temp) again without doing a fucking test?"