Met up with a friend who had cough and cold

[Fl0w3ry]

I met up with a friend at the weekend who showed up with a stuffy nose and cough (without pre-warning me she was unwell) . Without testing for covid she told me because she had been double-jabbed it couldn't be covid , and because I had been double-jabbed she said I couldn't catch covid (none of our children have been vaccinated though). I know vaccines have reduced hospital admissions, but I was surprised she believed it meant you couldn't catch covid at all after it. She didn't believe me when I told her she could still catch it/have it and pass it on. Needless to say, I cut the outing short.
I know its something we have to get used to living with, but do other people feel uncomfortable mixing with people displaying cold or covid - like symptoms? Has anyone else encountered people who have gone back to the 'it's just a cold so I don't care if you catch it' mentality now restrictions have lifted?

I think people should test if they have cold symptoms. Having said that I currently have Covid and since most people now are getting the delta variant, many people aren’t getting the classic symptoms or even cold-like ones.
My symptoms were acid reflux, scratchy throat (which I blamed on the reflux) and feeling a bit tired.

Yes, I suppose with all of the variants it's hard to know who might or might not have covid. I hope you feel better soon.

I know anyone I pass on the street could have covid. I just hoped that one positive that might have come out of the pandemic would be people being a bit more mindful about exposing their friends and families (and strangers) to their bugs. I'm hoping my friend is the exception and not the norm.

There is no chance that I will be booking myself or my family in for a PCR for minor cold symptoms, otherwise we might as well move into the test centre.

I don't necessarily think she should have tested - i just would have liked her to have pre-warned me she was unwell so I could decide not to take the risk.

Dc came back from exh last night after staying over sat night. he's text this am saying he's had a positive COVID test.

Me and the dc have all had COVID and I'm double vaccinated but still a bit annoyed he had them knowing it's likely to be COVID. (His gf who doesn't live with him had it about a week or so ago which I only found out last night)

It’s just not very good manners is it? I accept that going out and about I will be mixing with people who take the same view as your friend and I’ll continue live within an acceptable level of risk as I judge it personally.

I would expect someone I’m specifically meeting up with to give me a heads up they’ve got cold/flu symptoms because I’d do the same for them. There are still places and people who wouldn’t give you access if you are displaying symptoms without a negative test. Your friend might not encounter them but that doesn’t mean no one else does!

I've always mentioned to people I'm meeting up with that I have a cold or bug. It's good manners. Sure, it's probably just a cold, but for some people they may wish to avoid it, eg having vulnerable people at home, being pregnant, going on holiday or whatever. Basic manners to give them the heads up, and allow them to postpone if they wish

I don't know if I would expect her to test for just cold symptoms it's so tricky with all the different symptoms but I would expect her to cancel or at the least give you a heads up. Although if she had a persistent cough I would expect her to test.

We are testing with cold symptoms i have covid at the moment and it feels like a heavy headcold my dd who is 9 is also positive she has a headache and runny nose

I'd be pretty upset if a friend met up with me and had one of the covid symptoms without being tested. Do you think she'd genuinely misunderstood what's the right thing to do every though your vaccinated?

It’s well known that delta presents as a cold yet so many refuse to test or stay away from other people.
We always check that everyone is well before meeting up and no cases in the household either where they don’t have to self isolate as contacts as simply not worth the risk.

Everyone have different opinions. So I can see there are some people who doesn't understand the facts about vaccine or who down plays the symptoms. So, no point in getting upset, if you feel uncomfortable, just leave.

@ItsAChallengingWank - I would be really annoyed if I were you too - your ex exposing your DC to covid. People are definately treating it less seriously than they should now. Hope you all don't get it again.

@Cornettoninja and @beattieedny - yes, I think it's good manners to give people the heads up about illness too. Even before covid I would tell people if I had a cold before I met up with them, and I think that's even more important now.

@EnglishRose1320 and @Mum32021 and @ IceCreamAndCandyfloss - Yes, I think you are right really, people should test with symptoms. I can see why someone with cold symptoms wouldn't want to test, but at the same time the only way the spread will reduce is if there are accurate numbers through tests and people are staying home if they have covid.

@Whiskers4 - I don't know if she genuinely believed it was impossible she had covid. I suppose you never really know someone's motives to do something. Since restrictions have lifted she has treated it like the pandemic is over .

@illuyankas - I did leave. Its too late when you have been exposed to it though, isn't it? I understand everyone has different opinions on it, but a little bit of courtesy towards other peoples health and plans isn't compromising the person with the bug in any way.

I’m not testing for every cold like symptom or I’d be testing every week. Heyfever, allergies & young kids! But I would always give a friend a heads up I’ve got a cold/cough and is it still ok to meet? No-one has said no so far..

Your friend genuinely sounds misinformed as opposed to being selfish/rude/annoying. She seems to genuinely think vaccines stop covid completely, so I don’t think she was being an idiot in that sense. Just an idiot in not understanding how vaccines work 🙈

This is such bad manners at any time.

I have a friend who would regularly meet me for coffee then announce that she was full of the cold/cough/stomach bug etc. Things like that can completely wipe me out at the best of times, so I now avoid her most of the winter, which really minimises my social life at that time 😕

I am so wary and worried about her doing the same just now, especially given she doesn't wear a mask and isn't vaccinated for "medical reasons".

Even pre-covid it would have been good manners to let someone know if you were full of cold surely? Obviously there are some situations that are unavoidable and everyone ends up catching all kinds of bugs throughout the year but it's different to be at the tail end of a cold or to be constantly coughing and sniffling.

@Bobholll - yes, I'd like to think you are right, that she genuinely doesn't understand how the vaccine works. It's really tricky now because it has put me off meeting up with her again because she is adament that I am wrong in thinking you can still catch it after the vaccines!

@DumplingsAndStew - it's hard when bugs affect you more. I think that's another thing that people overlook - that everybody gets affected by bugs differently (even though the past 18 months we have heard countless stories of everybody reacting differently to illness!). I feel like you do about some family members. Some people really seem to enjoy spreading bugs around.

@nordica - I totally agree with you. Sadly, I think good manners seem to be in short supply with a lot of people. Its one thing to accidently catch a bug, but it's a whole other thing to have someone you care about deliberately show up with a bug knowing you are likely to catch it!

Yeah I think your friend was out of order .

At the moment, given the variability of symptoms people are reporting I would do LFT if I felt unwell in anyway, and I wouldn't go out and meet up with someone. Let's face it no-one wants a cold or norovirus either .

I'm surprised your friend is not aware that people can get Covid even when vaccinated.

If she doesn't know that you can still catch covid sometimes even when vaccinated, she probably also doesn't know that cold symptoms can be covid. So likely did believe it was just a cold (which maybe it was).

That said, yes, does still seem polite to let someone you're planning to meet know ahead of time if you're streaming with a cold.

I have told all friends and family to warn me if they are ill, mainly because they keep making me bloody ill! I am absolutely fine to meet up if they have a negative covid test (rapid at home test thing) though.

I also always test if I have cold symptoms.

I have just found out that I have been in contact with someone who has now tested positive. She came round to mine with cold symptoms but hadn't done a test. I did tell her she should take a test and tried to keep my distance from her and suggested we stayed outside just in case. Time will tell whether I have got away with it or not but I am upset that she came here with cold symptoms assuming it wasn't Covid. I am more annoyed that she works with vulnerable people so should have known better. Even if it hadn't been covid, I don't want to catch a cold either so I think it is inconsiderate either way.

@Shinynewapple21 - yes, we have all been stuck inside for so long, the last thing anyone wants is to catch any bug. I also would test myself if I got symptoms.

@ GoldenOmber - yes, you could be right that she might not realise cold symptoms can be covid.

@User1357 - it's a shame people don't just do the right thing and not have to be told. I really hoped people would be more mindful when the restrictions lifted.

@Planttrees I hope you don't get covid. It's so infuriating that people assume you won't mind them catching their bug. It's also crazy during an ongoing pandemic people just assume they haven't got covid. Did your friend show any remorse that she had gone to your house with symptoms? Or was she like my friend?

Do these not read or watch the news?

Mind boggles

Of course YANBU.

We had friends over the weekend before last and DS had a bit of a cold. It was before Delta hit our shores, so I knew it wasn’t that.

But I still texted my friend to let her know the situation so she could make up her own mind.

How grim to meet up with someone sniffing and coughing. Some people have been dragged up.

Cold symptoms can be covid, and double vaccinated people are more likely to be asymptomatic - LFTs are designed to catch those cases.