Are people just going out with symptoms now…?

[Dandy008]

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… 🤷🏻‍♀️

Just because someone has a cough and a sniffle does not mean they have Covid!!

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.

You're not being considerate, you're being judgemental.

And if I did care about other peoples germs, I wouldn’t be going to soft play.

I was out with my friend who has had covid and she has been left with a terrible "continuous " cough its such a shame but people can't stay in because they cough to make "you" feel safe to go out.

"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".

The answer to this my dear is no. Generally if people feel well enough to go out (which is far healthier than staying at home) people will go out. If people feel unwell they are unlikely to go out.
Is it "polite" to stay out of public places if u have a cough or a cold? maybe but polite will not build immune systems or have any positive effect on mental health.

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.

Just do the pcr test and then carry on with your life visiting the vomiting and diarrhea factory soft play.

I have cough variant asthma so I have a cough similar to covid, it’s not covid as I’ve tested.

Still going to work and the gym, but wearing a mask and cleaning gym stuff after use (I do that anyway).

I’m incredibly self conscious of this cough, so avoiding group fitness classes out of consideration for others.

Knowing that people are judging me and thinking nasty things just because I have my normal cough is horrible. I’m social distancing and wearing a mask.

@Stellaris22

I have cough variant asthma so I have a cough similar to covid, it’s not covid as I’ve tested.

Still going to work and the gym, but wearing a mask and cleaning gym stuff after use (I do that anyway).

I’m incredibly self conscious of this cough, so avoiding group fitness classes out of consideration for others.

Knowing that people are judging me and thinking nasty things just because I have my normal cough is horrible. I’m social distancing and wearing a mask.

Honestly most of us in real life give not a second thought to your cough. Please don't let a tiny but vocal minority stop you enjoying yourself or doing things you love.

"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".

I wouldn't have been out since March 2020 in that case.

@Stellaris22 my mum feels the same, she's terribly self conscious about her cough normally and of course its been much worse with Covid when she's been worried what judgmental dicks think. Know most people don't care.

DD2 has had a cough since late summer - it's not covid - she spent an overnighter in hospital then because of it and they tested her as a matter of course then... it's just a shitty post-bug cough that will linger most of the winter now.

I'm damned if I'm keeping her locked indoors to feed people's hysteria after they lost so much of the last couple of years. Had one woman practically run away screaming down the toy aisle when DD coughed once in Tesco a couple of weeks ago.

@Northernsoullover

I wouldn't inflict a cough on anyone. Covid or not.

You are clearly the most virtuous person in the world ever, congrats.

@Warhertisuff my dc are older than soft play now but we went very occasionally when they were little and it often resulted in a sickness bug. My feelings of germ-fest soft play are based on pre pandemic findings. I think I’ve only ever been to one that I actually felt was clean. I was actually saying that coughing isn’t necessarily covid at all and that the positive case currently in my home is not coughing at all. I do think dc need to build up their immunity - for me, that wouldn’t be in soft play but to assume everyone there has covid but is ignoring it is a big baseless assumption.

@Dandy008

Yeah I guess no one stays at home when ill.

We want to play group this morning, adults and children coughing.

Perhaps we wouldn’t have noticed pre pandemic.
🤷🏻‍♀️

Ah well. I don’t want to stay in when well and they don’t want to stay in when unwell.

I don’t think we (my family)’will be so considerate the next time we are unwell. Why should we stay home or try to avoid busy places if we’re coughing / full of cold when nobody else seems to.

You're clearly not interested in anyone's opinion that doesn't match your own.

People aren't 'unwell' when they're out just because they're coughing. Coughs linger from covid and colds and bronchitis etc for weeks sometimes post-illness; doesn't mean they're ill. Ditto for asthma coughs; definitely not contagious.

As for minor colds, my Head Teacher demands we come in with them unless we have a fever, staff and children alike. Can't really afford to jeopardize my job over it, even if you can.

@Dandy008

Yeah I guess no one stays at home when ill.

We want to play group this morning, adults and children coughing.

Perhaps we wouldn’t have noticed pre pandemic.
🤷🏻‍♀️

Ah well. I don’t want to stay in when well and they don’t want to stay in when unwell.

I don’t think we (my family)’will be so considerate the next time we are unwell. Why should we stay home or try to avoid busy places if we’re coughing / full of cold when nobody else seems to.

No one is asking you to ‘be so considerate’ and stay at home if you’re coughing, as long as you have had a covid test. So yes, feel free to be less considerate. I really don’t care, and as this thread shows, many others don’t either.

"You're clearly not interested in anyone's opinion that doesn't match your own.

People aren't 'unwell' when they're out just because they're coughing. Coughs linger from covid and colds and bronchitis etc for weeks sometimes post-illness; doesn't mean they're ill. Ditto for asthma coughs; definitely not contagious."

Completely agree with the above.

Anyone listening to my cough right now could very well describe it as a bad cough, yet I'm no longer I'll and haven't been for weeks.

I suspect the op has never had to deal with a lingering cough as a result of a cold etc otherwise they would understand that hacking cough doesn't always translate into ill.

Sadly for me it happens every time I get a cold. It's just now I have the added "bonus" of people like op being judgmental. I'm not often glad to be peri menopausal, but I certainly am finding this year I care much less about what other judgemental people think

Not only are they going out 'with symptoms'...they are going out after an actual positive PCR test!

I'm a primary teacher and did two consecutive face to face parents evenings just before we broke up for half term last week. Two parents came to see me (mum and dad) both with masks on. I didn't think anything of this obviously as it's pretty standard.

The next day I had a message on our online platform apologising that their child hadn't completed homework as 'they'd all been ill with Covid and were a bit behind'.

I messaged back...just to clarify...and yes, they were indeed both still positive, but didn't want to miss their parents evening slot so thought the masks would be ok!

I have no words 🤷‍♀️🤬

We all had covid 5 weeks ago, incidentally without cough. Dh and I both double vaxed had blocked nose, sinus pain, headache and sore throat. DC no symptoms. Dh and youngest now have a cough we are out and about ,as not covid and not staying in for occasional coughing.

Some people will test then go out and about if negative. Some people won't bother to test. Some people will have recently had Covid so know it can't be. Some people won't care. I think there is a real divide at the moment between peoples view now regarding Covid.

Don't go to playcentres and pubs if you're scared of getting ill.

There are people going out with no symptoms spreading it so it seems a bit silly to be so vexxed about normal Winter symptoms.

If it bothers you then you can stay in.

@dotsandco we've had some crazy stuff at my school too. There are some very selfish people out there that's for sure.

@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.

@Dandy008 I actually agree with you and feel my family & I are very considerate towards others when we are unwell - both now and before Covid.

I was pretty cross that my DD’s teacher continued to teach when she was incredibly unwell with a horrific cough & cold which the
majority of the class then caught and resulted in PCR’s and very unwell children.

I didn’t attend a whole class “meet the teacher” in the school hall recently as I was still coughing from a non-Covid virus - I felt fine in myself but felt it was selfish to sit in a hall of 60+ parents whilst coughing away.

It’s a pity others aren’t so considerate and feel you have been flamed in this post!

Typically on MN, if you posted that you’d gone to soft play with a cough, people would have urged you to stay at home, get a PCR and be considerate to others!

@dotsandco

Not only are they going out 'with symptoms'...they are going out after an actual positive PCR test!

I'm a primary teacher and did two consecutive face to face parents evenings just before we broke up for half term last week. Two parents came to see me (mum and dad) both with masks on. I didn't think anything of this obviously as it's pretty standard.

The next day I had a message on our online platform apologising that their child hadn't completed homework as 'they'd all been ill with Covid and were a bit behind'.

I messaged back...just to clarify...and yes, they were indeed both still positive, but didn't want to miss their parents evening slot so thought the masks would be ok!

I have no words 🤷‍♀️🤬

I hope your SLT reported them to Track and Trace. That's just shocking.

Don't go to playcentres and pubs if you're scared of getting ill.

@PleaseGoDontGoAgain

I’m not scared of getting ill. I accept the risks involved in going out, during a pandemic.

I just think it’s so naive to think that people are following the rules 100%
I’m sure there are lots of people not testing with PCR’s. People will do a LFT and if that’s negative they will assume they don’t have Covid.

My next door neighbour took her son to the supermarket when he had Covid!
I saw them in there!! I know he had Covid because I had to go and take round a parcel that i’d accepted delivery of, she opened the window and told me her son had tested positive a few days ago and asked me to leave it on the door
step.
Two days later I saw them in the supermarket!!

People just don’t want to have to stay at home, they don’t want their lives inconvenienced for the sake of consideration for others.

Whilst the majority of us will be following the rules, there will be plenty that aren’t. That’s the point I’m trying to get across.

But honestly I think I’m way to considerate.

Your expectation that people who have a cough stay in because it makes you feel better regardless of what caused it is the opposite of considerate, so I wouldn't worry yourself there.