how long should I stay off work with bronchitis?

[houselikeashed]

Had a GP phone call, agreed it was a chest infection - probably bronchitis, but no antibiotics prescribed. Not particulary feverish, so deemed to be viral.
I am a music teacher (1-2-1 lessons) and wondered how long people reckon I should stay off work whilst I'm still coughing. Apparently the cough could linger for months.

Stay off until you feel well enough to go back?

What I mean is, can I go back to work if I feel ok, but am still coughing really nastily.

If you were coughing during the lesson and I was your student I'd hope you're at least wearing a proper FFP2 mask the whole time, and preferably with the window wide open too.

Did you do a covid test, if positive I wouldn't go back to teaching face to face till it's negative. Can you do online as an alternative?

If it's not covid, think I'd warn your students that you are still coughing/sick and they can decide whether they feel comfortable coming to a lesson.

God why does everyone think every cough is covid. You can't wear any kind of mask if you've got a nasty cough either, how ridiculous.

If you were coughing during the lesson and I was your student I'd hope you're at least wearing a proper FFP2 mask the whole time, and preferably with the window wide open too

Tell me you've never had bronchitis without telling me you've never had bronchitis....which is proper bent double coughing your lungs up coughing for minutes at a time.

OP my GP gave me steroids for a week, but that was for the breathlessness rather than the cough. Is it worth asking for those and see what s/he says? when I had it I wouldn't go back with the really bad cough because I still felt pretty rough.

"proper bent double coughing your lungs up coughing for minutes at a time."

And would you like to be in the same room as someone doing that? I'm guessing not, in which case OP shouldn't be teaching in person till it's over.

Mate, I've BEEN the person doing it. I'm just impressed that OP feels well enough to go back to work.

When you feel ok and the coughing subsides to less frequent. I'm 2 weeks in and I'm only coughing a few times a day, can't stay off more than a day or two as I have no cover so I was in with my office door shut last week. As a music teacher it's difficult but I would suggest 2 weeks off

Of course, I didn't say that.

But you can't wear an FFP mask, or any kind of mask if you've got a cough like that.

I'm not ready to go back yet, I'm still coughing badly, which makes me feel faint, (and being a lady of a certain age, something else often happens too 😳) but I can't stay off for much longer as I have to give out refunds for lessons I miss. It's been just over a week now.

Apparently I won't be infectious by now.
For those of you who have had it / have it now, does the cough get less scary? Does it eventually turn into a 'normal' cough? Maybe i could go back then.
At the moment it would scare the kids!

are you able to keep a distance when teaching?

I would go back once you don't produce phlebm anymore and a throat sweet helps sooth the itch.

Of course you can wear a mask if you have a cough, how ridiculous to think you can't.

Why do you say you can't wear a mask?

In fact with many coughs wearing a mask helps, as it makes the air slightly more humid which irritates less in some cases.