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Original poster

Are people just going out with symptoms now…?

226 replies

Dandy008 · 28/10/2021 20:27

Went out with DC and a friend this morning.
We started off in local soft play and went to a family pub for lunch.

The soft play was literally full of kids who more than half of them were coughing.
Adults were coughing too.

At first I thought I was just being a bit hyper vigilant, until my friend mentioned it to me and said she felt uncomfortable.

We headed to the pub for lunch and to our surprise, it was the same there only this time it was more adults coughing.

It wasn’t even the same people,

I know it’s that time of year and we have to expect colds etc, but surely if you’re coughing, with a continuous cough, during a pandemic, then you would stay at home… 🤷🏻‍♀️

OP posts:
NotMyselfWithoutCoffee · 29/10/2021 11:59

All the idiots in this thread.
You do realise it's necessary to be exposed to germs from time to time to keep your immune system up to date?
People need to go about their daily lives, not shut themselves away for every sniffle.

What's the point of being fully vaccinated if people are still going to act like this, may as well have just not bothered with the jabs.

Wellbythebloodyhell · 29/10/2021 12:00

@NotMyselfWithoutCoffee

All the idiots in this thread. You do realise it's necessary to be exposed to germs from time to time to keep your immune system up to date? People need to go about their daily lives, not shut themselves away for every sniffle.

What's the point of being fully vaccinated if people are still going to act like this, may as well have just not bothered with the jabs.

Perfectly said!
AtlanticCityProof · 29/10/2021 12:35

@billysboy

According to the data from the ZOE app, the top five symptoms if you’ve had two vaccinations are:

headache
runny nose
sneezing
sore throat
loss of smell

If you’ve had one vaccine, they are:

headache
runny nose
sore throat
sneezing
persistent cough

If you’ve not had the vaccine, the top five symptoms are:

headache
sore throat
runny nose
fever
persistent cough

I think this is the problem. These symptoms have not been well publicised, and if I get the top four for the double vaxed, am I entitled to a PCR test? I walked with someone recently who said they had a slight cold. They rang up three days later because having had to do a LFT, (followed by a PCR) they had tested positive. So, in short, don’t worry about people coughing. A new and continuous cough is a symptom that usually does prompt people to get tested. It’s all the other symptoms that go unnoticed.
Bizawit · 29/10/2021 13:20

I have asthma and multiple allergies which make me cough (and sneeze). Should I lock myself in my home forever because my presence in public offends your sensibilities?
And you think other people are selfish?

Original poster
Dandy008 · 29/10/2021 13:40

@Bizawit

Stop being dramatic. I didn’t say anyone should lock themselves away.

I also have asthma and I have Acid reflux, both of which make me cough.

I’m not talking about people having the odd cough here and there. I’m talking about people continuously coughing who don’t sound well enough to be out!

OP posts:
ThePoisonousMushroom · 29/10/2021 13:43

I give absolutely no shits whether other people think I/my children should be out and about or not.
We all test if/when we have symptoms. If tests are negative, and we feel well enough to be out, we go out. It’s as simple as that, and I genuinely don’t care if other people think that’s wrong.

HappyAsASandboy · 29/10/2021 13:47

My family of 6 have all been in school, at the childminders, in work (office), on public transport, out for dinner and in shops with coughs and sneezes for the past three weeks! We tested (PCR) with negative results and so have got in with life the same as we would have any other year 🤷‍♀️

FourTeaFallOut · 29/10/2021 13:49

I'm beyond tip toeing around feelings. We test with symptoms and resume life with a negative PCR.

tigger1001 · 29/10/2021 13:52

@HappyAsASandboy

My family of 6 have all been in school, at the childminders, in work (office), on public transport, out for dinner and in shops with coughs and sneezes for the past three weeks! We tested (PCR) with negative results and so have got in with life the same as we would have any other year 🤷‍♀️
This! Life didn't stop every time someone coughed before covid and we need to remember there are other bugs than covid.
Wellbythebloodyhell · 29/10/2021 13:54

@Dandy008 are you a qualified Dr that can diagnose if people are "well enough" to be out or not just on a few minutes observation? I doubt very much

Original poster
Dandy008 · 29/10/2021 13:54

That’s all well and good of people are actually testing.

I personally know several people who thought they just had a cold which turned out to be Covid.

My work colleague was one of them who spread to several other people in the office!

OP posts:
Original poster
Dandy008 · 29/10/2021 13:55

[quote Wellbythebloodyhell]@Dandy008 are you a qualified Dr that can diagnose if people are "well enough" to be out or not just on a few minutes observation? I doubt very much[/quote]
@Wellbythebloodyhell

Hardly few minutes, we were in soft play for a few hours.

OP posts:
ThePoisonousMushroom · 29/10/2021 13:56

@Dandy008

That’s all well and good of people are actually testing.

I personally know several people who thought they just had a cold which turned out to be Covid.

My work colleague was one of them who spread to several other people in the office!

Well yeah… I am testing. Like I said. I might have been one of those people you saw in soft play with coughing children 🤷🏻‍♀️.
ThePoisonousMushroom · 29/10/2021 13:57

If I was that worried about germs though I certainly wouldn’t be spending a few hours in soft play. Filthy cesspits at the best of times!

Hm2020 · 29/10/2021 13:58

My ds had a chesty cough he has had 2 negative covid tests seen a gp has a chest infection is on antibiotics, 3 asthma pumps and monteklast we know from experience as he gets better the cough lingers he’s coming to the end of the antibiotics he’s had to miss out on daily swimming science museum friends coming and lots more that was booked so planning to do something nice to make up for it not all coughs are covid.

Whinge · 29/10/2021 13:59

I’m talking about people continuously coughing who don’t sound well enough to be out!

This is even more ambiguous than a continous cough. Who detemines that a person doesn't sound well enough to be out? Confused A person with a cough, who is recovering from a cold could sound awful, where as someone with a headache could actually have Covid19.

Coughs can linger for weeks, even though a person feels fine and could get on with their life. Who is going to pay for these people to stay at home until they no longer stop coughing? Should children miss several more weeks of school just because they have a cough?

FourTeaFallOut · 29/10/2021 14:00

Perhaps you should be meeting people outdoors, op? It's a lot easier to achieve than expecting everybody else to go beyond the rules for your personal comfort.

Bizawit · 29/10/2021 14:06

[quote Dandy008]@Bizawit

Stop being dramatic. I didn’t say anyone should lock themselves away.

I also have asthma and I have Acid reflux, both of which make me cough.

I’m not talking about people having the odd cough here and there. I’m talking about people continuously coughing who don’t sound well enough to be out![/quote]
Believe me my asthma cough in the cold weather, is a lot more / worse sounding than “the odd cough here and there”. There are plenty of chronic / constant / really unpleasant sounding coughs that are not contagious. Just admit you are being judgemental and unreasonable and let it go.

cooker321monster · 29/10/2021 14:06

OP can you clarify please is it just people with Continuous coughs that should not leave their house? or does that include a runny nose? or any other symptoms?
And to clarify you would like these people to stay off work as well for the duration of a cough (whatever the cause) and or runny nose?
So thinking about this:
police
Ambulance crew
Nurses
Teachers
Shop workers? etc etc etc
I mean this could be a lot of people, this could be a large percentage of the winter work force?
Also in the meantime - how will your children come into contact with viruses to build their immune system for adult hood? and help minimise the more serious illnesses such as childhood cancers?

Wellbythebloodyhell · 29/10/2021 14:09

Ok @Dandy008 ill re phrase it. Do you have any medical training at all that qualifies you to be certain who is and isn't well enough to be out on mere observation alone?

ADreadedSunnyDay · 29/10/2021 14:10

My DC has had a shit time over the last 18+ months. I PCR if we are advised to by public health or if we have symptoms. But beyond that, I'm not worried about sneezing, or headaches etc

Original poster
Dandy008 · 29/10/2021 14:12

My goodness, I’ve really ruffled feathers here haven’t I.

I can see this is a sensitive topic and very little people seem to see my side.

For clarity, I’m not suggesting anyone lock themselves away for every sniffle.

I just think after the last few years we’ve had, i expected people to be more considerate about taking part in close contact / indoor activities when they’re unwell, and especially with a cough.

I can see I’m clearly on my own with this though, which has pretty much opened my eyes to how considerate I’ve tried to be.

At least I can now comfortably go out when me DC or DH are unwell, since it seems that most people won’t mind if we’re coughing / spluttering everywhere.

OP posts:
Mrsjayy · 29/10/2021 14:12

Soft play is a total snotfest yet you are worried about coughs in the pub?

Nidan2Sandan · 29/10/2021 14:14

I cough a lot from May to august, due to allergies exacerbated by asthma. Like @PinkSparklyPussyCat I can literally cough and cough & struggle to take a breath when it catches. Am I meant to stay in all that time?

I dont know about your place of employment OP, but mine only allows 2 episodes of sickness in 12 months, get a 3rd and you're at risk of dismissal. I kind of need my job, so off to work with a cough or a cold it is.

Likewise, I'm not selfish if I send my kids to school with a minor cold or cough. I'm conscious of the 100% attendance awards, the warnings if my child attendance drops below a certain level and the expectation that they should be in. Clearly your children OP must have a much better school then me if you dont have this issue too.

My mum coughs 24/7 due to a lung condition, an awful dry, constant cough which she cant control. Should we lock her in house?

ThePoisonousMushroom · 29/10/2021 14:15

@Dandy008

My goodness, I’ve really ruffled feathers here haven’t I.

I can see this is a sensitive topic and very little people seem to see my side.

For clarity, I’m not suggesting anyone lock themselves away for every sniffle.

I just think after the last few years we’ve had, i expected people to be more considerate about taking part in close contact / indoor activities when they’re unwell, and especially with a cough.

I can see I’m clearly on my own with this though, which has pretty much opened my eyes to how considerate I’ve tried to be.

At least I can now comfortably go out when me DC or DH are unwell, since it seems that most people won’t mind if we’re coughing / spluttering everywhere.

You’re right, I don’t care if you take your kids out and about while coughing and spluttering (not sure why you’re all spluttering though, is that normal?). Because I know other viruses exist. I didn’t care pre covid, and I don’t care now.