I'm stuck in work with a new cough

[BlondieD]

Hello

I'm in work and I don't have any antigen tests on me. I tested the night before last and it was a negative.

Anyways I am just after developing a cough. The cough is nothing now mind you. Its so mild. Its sparse in nature. Once every few hours there's something. It's feels like an itch at the back of my throat.

Aside from that I have horrendous heartburn that I am not able to treat because I was rushing this morning and left my tablets at home. I am also stuck in work.

I haven't a clue what to do. I know the public health guidelines to to isolate yourself and test. I'm not in a position to walk out of work and it will be tonight by the time I will be able to isolate.

Then it might be tomorrow or Saturday or Sunday but the time I will get a chance to get to a pcr test centre.

Does that cough sound like covid?

Yes it does, and that’s how I knew I had it.

You’re showing symptoms, you need to leave work and get a test.

I wouldn't say one cough every few hours is anything to panic over op. See what happens as the day goes on. Are you near anyone? Maybe wear a mask just in case, if you don't already. It is so hard to know - obviously not all coughs are covid anyway, regardless of severity. When I had covid it crept up like that whilst I was in work and I really didn't think I could leave work, but when I got home and checked my temp it was 39.

However I have had loads of times were I have coughed over the last 18 months and only once did it turn out to be covid, no one can really predict what will happen next!

One cough every few hours wouldn't concern me, if it was so infrequent I doubt it would even register on my radar. Although everyone I know who has actually covid hasn't had a cough.

I'd stay at work and if it develops further definitely go for a test tomorrow to ease your worries.

It's probably the heartburn causing the cough as the acid is irritating your throat. You can't asssume that though.

You ought to leave work and get a test.

I will work whenever I can and take tomorrow off and get a pcr and take it from there.

I started the Christmas piggery with food early so I was eating a lot of rich foods over the past week like a mince pie with brandy butter and mulled wine. Most days. Mainly in the evening. It's probably catching up with me now.

My cough was like a tickle and went from occasional to regular. My friend also has covid atm and has heartburn. Get tested.

One of my first symptoms was heartburn.

Where do you work that they would be happier to have you there, with possible Covid, than send you to get a PCR?

God, this virus is so cruel and nasty.

Experience heartburn and it might be covid. Heartburn is not a typical sign.

Im going to be honest. This heartburn is absolute intense. It's crazy. I experienced heartburn before but not on this level. It's been preety much 18 hours. Unfortunately I am not near a pharmacy and my box of tablets is at home do I can't even treat yet. I feel like shit.

I am using buses now more and I think maybe that was a possible exposure. There were a few people coughing on the bus.

I'm in Ireland and the virus is circulating uncontrollably now in the community. There's pandemic fatigue and the narrative on some local forums is disgusting with people typing out stuff that goes against public health guidelines eg

• eg if you have symptoms it's just going to be a mild little cold if even that and don't bother testing and don't bother isolating.

There really is a disgusting narrative being encouraged online to ignore public health guidelines.