Colleague at work with cough

[JandD]

I had a colleague rock into work today with a cough. It was a dry cough. Does that sound like covid?

I thought part of the public health guidelines is to stay away from work and other mixed environments like schools if you feel unwell with cold or flu symptoms. The throat sounded hoarse too.

I know there's probably many different reasons for cough and other illnesses and colds but it wasn't fair what she did coming into work and putting others at risk. What if its covid? Or other viral infection. We work with vulnerable people by the way.

We do t live in the UK and our government and public health authorities were not keen on the home test kits.

It might well not be COVID.

Could be asthma, I have a dry, relentless cough when my asthma is poorly controlled.

I have a tickly cough at the moment and I'm due in the office on Wednesday. As it's new and persistent I've had a PCR test but it feels like it's just a cold. So hard to know what's best to do sometimes.

I’ve been working with teens with coughs for the last 18 months… you get used to it!

@orangejuicer

I have a tickly cough at the moment and I'm due in the office on Wednesday. As it's new and persistent I've had a PCR test but it feels like it's just a cold. So hard to know what's best to do sometimes.

Unfortunately you can't tell whether cold symptoms are covid or an ordinary cold just by what they feel like to you. Only the PCR test will tell you and even that isn't completely reliable if negative.

Do they really really need you in the office? Because if not, you would do better to stay at home. Even if it does turn out to just be a cold, you'll just be passing on the chore of having to sit around and wait for PCR tests to confirm it's just a cold to all your colleagues who catch it off you.

I said to DH the other day that I’m going to get a badge with ‘it’s asthma not covid’ on it.

Have they had a pcr? I’ve got this at the moment. I’ve had a negative test so I don’t have to isolate with it any more.

This could be written about me!

I’ve suffered horrendous tonsillitis my whole life. Doctors offered surgery to remove but I’m squeamish so declined.

I had a bad case last week. Couldn’t talk did a few days. However I’m much better now although they are still a bit inflamed and there’s a bit of a cough.

I thought the persistant non productive cough was only with thd original strain of covid ? Isn't Delta more cold like symptoms, without a cough, it seems to be round here ???

She could have been tested already or maybe she has a chronic cough. Maybe it's allergies or maybe it's asthma. Who knows!

weesmallhours

I know what you're saying and I am waiting for my test result. I suppose I was thinking of all the unnecessary PCRs that are being done for colds at the moment. It's just the situation we're in I guess.

And no I don't need to go in but it's the first week the office has been open since Feb 2020, and I want to go in

I've been coughing like a beast for about 10 days now. It is not Covid as I have been tested. I want a badge saying I don't have Covid!

@ApolloandDaphne can I please ask you a question as you have a non-covid cough? Have you been testing all the way through the past 10 days? And if so was that by lateral flows or PCRs? The reason I’m asking is that I don’t think the current testing rules are very clear so just want to know what people have been doing

@BigSquareRoom That is a very good question. I have done 3 lateral flow tests at various intervals, all negative. My cough is not what I would could continuous, more intermittent and I have had no temperature or loss of taste or any other symptom for that matter. It has been a chesty cough from day one and not been more than that but it is dragging on. This non covid cough seems to be doing the rounds at local schools and the university.

Just to update - I posted my PCR yesterday morning and have just had a negative result back. Woohoo!

Thats great its negative.

I have really bad cough negative covid and feel bit self conscious.
Guess there are normal coughs and other viruses going around.
I wear my mask in shops. Did rush shopping yesterday as trying not to cough at the till.

Surely if you have a cough you should do a pcr test

Yes I had a cough i did pcr
And at one point school were sending coughing kids home.
But no one can make the work collegue tests.
I guess the employer could ask