Why are people rude about covid.

[Neverfittedin85]

Just that really.

Why are people rude?
Been on public transport earlier today. I have a chest infection. Obviously coughing.
Cue rude maskless lady gawping at me each time I coughed, which was a fair bit as from going from cold to warm air. And muttering to her friend and pointing.

A) you can be worried and not rude.
B) people can be ill
C) they were both maskless.

Just moaning really

The best thing I found was to get it out in the open and say it's ok I don't have covid it's a diagnosed chest infection. Someone did this on a train I was on once and the whole carriage relaxed. It was amazing.

Well there's no need to be rude.

But cases are high and a lot of people are somewhere on the scale between frightened and concerned.

If you have Covid but are asymptomatic and unaware of it, you could be spreading it by coughing much more than by sitting quietly, even if your cough is actually due to some previous condition.

Of course that also applies to non-mask wearers. They may have very good reason for not wearing a mask but it is still the case that they may be more likely to spread Covid when they are unaware of having it than if they were wearing a mask. (For the sake of this post I am assuming that masks have some effect, whether or not they do is an argument for another thread.)

So, these days, people are more likely to look at you askance if you cough in public or if you don't wear a mask, even if that is not reasonable.

It's so frustrating. 🤨
Feeling like I can't go anywhere.
Almost feel like if I cant feel like I can go somewhere and not be glared at because I've a cough due to a infection tthen am start questioning everyone who is maskless. I have anxiety about the masks but wear it and my child and friends children manage to wear them. Therefore everyone could in theory.

I don't think you should be out and about with a bad cough, even if it results from a cold virus. If you are coughing and/or sneezing a lot you are spreading germs.

Think you may need a sign saying 'I have a chest infection' for next couple of days! Wish I was joking.

I don't think they were being rude as people are scared and worried but them being maskless is pretty rich!

Stress.

@ElftonWednesday

I don't think you should be out and about with a bad cough, even if it results from a cold virus. If you are coughing and/or sneezing a lot you are spreading germs.

I'm obviously careful when coughing etc. I'm masked. Tissues etc. Don't actually go anywhere that's unnecessary.

Before covid people would walk outside with a common cold. It's no different.

@Alysskea

Think you may need a sign saying 'I have a chest infection' for next couple of days! Wish I was joking.

I don't think they were being rude as people are scared and worried but them being maskless is pretty rich!

Might make one!

I am not sure gawping at you is as rude as you think. We are in the middle of a pandemic, coughing is one of the key symptoms, people are worried about catching it. So you coughing your lungs up on public transport is of course going to worry people. Try to have some empathy.

I think it’s more socially acceptable to stand and pick your nose than cough in public at the moment.

I have always suffered frequent coughs and beyond this, cough every time I go from a warm to a cold environment. I also have the occasional coughing fit where I can breathe out but not in for a minute or two until I’ve composed myself. I’m thinking I may be on the cusp of being asthmatic and keep meaning to book GP appointment but paranoid it doesn’t seem bad enough when they’re so busy at the moment.

I hate being out and about because of my tendency to cough and the looks I get. I hear you OP! I’d just stay away from more enclosed situations and take cough sweets with you. Hope your chest infection clears quickly.

It's more acceptable to fart in public than cough these days. I've got to confess I did move seats when someone sat by me on a train and started coughing last week, but I wasn't rude about it.

I have to wear a mask at work and since having covid and a post covid chest infection, I have periods where I get a really tickly cough when wearing a mask and obviously the longer I wear it, the more I'm affected.
I'm currently testing 4x a week (3 LFT and one PCR - work requirements) but the people on the bus/in the shop don't know that, so although I'm probably safer because of that than someone not testing, I can understand that it might worry some people, but yes I do get a bit fed up with being treated like I'm doing something wrong - especially by people who aren't masked and/or insist on standing close to me and then start huffing and puffing because I cough.
I can't call my life to a halt and never leave the house because of this. It's not covid, it's not even a cold, it's a side effect of having had covid and the resulting chest infection and needing to wear a mask so much.

@sheeplikessleep

I think it’s more socially acceptable to stand and pick your nose than cough in public at the moment.

I have always suffered frequent coughs and beyond this, cough every time I go from a warm to a cold environment. I also have the occasional coughing fit where I can breathe out but not in for a minute or two until I’ve composed myself. I’m thinking I may be on the cusp of being asthmatic and keep meaning to book GP appointment but paranoid it doesn’t seem bad enough when they’re so busy at the moment.

I hate being out and about because of my tendency to cough and the looks I get. I hear you OP! I’d just stay away from more enclosed situations and take cough sweets with you. Hope your chest infection clears quickly.

Thank you. Someone who understands.

Yes always have sweets and water with me.

Someone said have empathy, I do but also they should too.

I think you have to take a balanced view.

We are in a pandemic. There ARE lots of people knowingly wandering around with Covid (see yesterday's thread about a poster being told to get on a train rather than isolate in a hotel.)

So, when people do that - just look them in the eye and say in a firm but friendly fashion, don't worry - I've tested negative for Covid, it's just a common cold.

You have to adapt to our situation and take the initiative.

If you want to stop the glares I do think you have to announce it’s not covid.

Don’t want to announce it but still want to go out then put up with the glares.

People are scared to be around others with a cough at the moment, especially this close to Christmas.

It is not just because of covid though... it is Christmas this week, I don't want a bloody cold or respiratory infection. I want to enjoy my very few days off. So I would look, I would move away, might be rude, but I dont know if you are infectious, I'll look to see if you have a mask, to see if you are coughing away from me, not putting coughed on hands on the rail/button etc .... I'm entitled to protect my precious free time.

I have anxiety about the masks but wear it and my child and friends children manage to wear them. Therefore everyone could in theory.

You're very ignorant. Quite ironic from someone so sensitive about rudeness.

Be proactive and speak to people.

I do think if you get stares, just explain like others have said. You will make people feel more comfortable and less anxious, which is understandable in current climate.

I had a woman on a flight last week turning round pointedly and staring at my daughter (we were behind and in the opposite row, so diagonal)

My daughter had an intermittent cough, as did around 90% of passengers on that flight, including the woman's travelling companion, but every time my child coughed her head rotated slowly and she fixed her with a glare.

After the 3rd time I stated loudly "If looking at her when she coughs is going to cure her cold maybe I should do it too?"

Yes, passive aggressive and I was crabbit after a long day travelling, but seriously, staring at someone for any reason is rude and unnecessary.

I have 3 children, someone always has a cough and they last for weeks and weeks. I hate going places these days in case one of them coughs. If they have a cough I always mask them and explain to people that they've had a pcr and this is just an ongoing cough. I long for winter to be over and their immunity to infections to become a bit more resilient again.

I think you just have to say to people "I've had a negative pcr and this is just an ongoing cough". I wouldn't dream of acting in the way that the women did to you though, although do move away from coughing people in public (and actually am still careful to social distance).

I have a cough at the moment, I too have debated the "It's not covid" sign.
The worst was last week when I had to go to the launderette (washer broken) it really really made me cough, must have just been the atmosphere.

Before covid people would walk outside with a common cold. It's no different

Yes but we had a lax attitide towards it. People dragging themselves into the office dosed up with Lemsip. Terrible sickness absence policies didn't help. I hope this has changed for good!

I did used to despair of people mooching about the office clearly ill.

I have a mild cough and the PCR was negative. Popped to the shop today and coughed (behind mask, coughed into elbow) and the shop assistant who was nowhere near me nearly jumped in fright and clamped her bands over her nose and mouth whilst staring at me in horror.

I said to her ‘PCR was negative and it’s just a cough’ and she visibly relaxed. We’re
in a pandemic and you’ll just have to say a quick explanation or put up with the stares or comment I’m afraid.