Sick people in shops

DH coughs a lot and can, at times, look rough. Nothing to do with him being 'sick'. Simply, that after heart-surgery and a severe hospital acquired infection, he has a damaged lung and this causes him to cough a lot.

Because he has a damaged lung, he cannot use a mask as it makes the situation worse. All this could apply to the man you saw.

The man may have no-one to shop for him and not own a computer to order online. Maybe he has COPD and has a cough a lot of the time. Who knows.

My DH has COPD and could have been that very man. Please don’t judge.

If someone was coughing badly, I would keep well away from them, but wouldn’t dash out of the shop.

I have a long term cough ( I’m talking years)that has never been explained. It doesn’t make me feel ill and I am not.
I can have a prolonged bout of coughing, which sounds awful are wears me out but nobody else is going to catch anything from me.
Not all coughs are contagious.

I cough with my Asthma, I would try to wear a mask, but it isn’t always possible, I’m not contagious.

I'm with you Nanna8. Yesterday 1 in 30 people were carrying Covid, and the death figures are rising (87 yesterday) again.
Personally if I had a coughing fit in a shop, I'd like to think I'd go outside.

nanna8
I believe you’ve told us many times that you are a Christian.
You seem to have forgotten your lords teaching on judging

I cough a lot (Asthma), can have a really bad bout for no apparent reason. Not at all catching by anyone.

I do wish people were no so judgemental about everyone else

Lots of people can have non contagious coughs for varying reasons, including health

My mum is another person with lung problems that make her cough badly. That, coupled with her mobility problems, probably make her look unwell and unfit to be mixing in public too.

However, sad though it is, I can understand people's 'fear' of catching something from her - I sometimes even find myself holding my breath and distancing myself from the screen if she starts coughing while we are speaking via WhatsApp. Totally irrational, so all I can think is that this sort of reaction is a natural part of the body's in-built defence mechanism.

If I felt as the OP did and believed that masks work, as we've been told so often, then I'd wear a mask in that sort of situation.

Also, as others have, said, coughs do not always indicate infectiousness.

Tolerance is a good thing.

My family, not me, have varying degrees of asthma and hay-fever which can produce symptoms at times that include coughing.

I think, in the current climate, we all need to be more sensitive to how others may be feeling and how vulnerable some people may be, health wise. For that reason I think it’s inconsiderate for someone to be in a crowded place coughing and spluttering given that coughing is still a main symptom of covid.

MayBee70

I think, in the current climate, we all need to be more sensitive to how others may be feeling and how vulnerable some people may be, health wise. For that reason I think it’s inconsiderate for someone to be in a crowded place coughing and spluttering given that coughing is still a main symptom of covid.

But how is someone with a chronic cough meant to survive without going out food and other essentials?
Asking someone else to get things for you is OK as a temporary measure - assuming that they know someone who iswilling to do that - but it is not reasonable, practical or fair to expect someone who poses no risk to others to be permanently confined to their home.

Oldnproud

MayBee70

I think, in the current climate, we all need to be more sensitive to how others may be feeling and how vulnerable some people may be, health wise. For that reason I think it’s inconsiderate for someone to be in a crowded place coughing and spluttering given that coughing is still a main symptom of covid.

But how is someone with a chronic cough meant to survive without going out food and other essentials?
Asking someone else to get things for you is OK as a temporary measure - assuming that they know someone who iswilling to do that - but it is not reasonable, practical or fair to expect someone who poses no risk to others to be permanently confined to their home.

Exactly. Well said, Old.

People need to stop thinking the worst all the time. That so many do shows some of the collateral damage the covid era has inflicted on society.

I do so agree with Baggs. We have to trust that most of those with a covid-related cough would have the decency to stay at home as we all would.

Why don’t you wear a mask when going out.

The man in question could easily have severe asthma or COPD as others have suggested and would the OP been quite so appalled pre-Covid with the man coughing so much?

Also, is the OP 100% sure that everyone in the store had washed their hands after using the loo before embarking on their shopping trips? Is the OP sure that everyone had showered before leaving the house?

Were we really this paranoid before Covid? Probably not.

My philosophy is, the persons most responsible for my health and wellbeing is ME. If I feel uncomfortable in public I wear a face covering.

This was a young bloke and I’d be surprised if he any lung disease but I wouldn’t be surprised if he had Covid. A lot of us cough but most of us protect our mouths when we do so and don’t cough all over others. I have had Covid and 4 vaccinations but I still don’t want to be coughed all over, thanks. Nothing to do with Christianity, either. What a nasty comment that was. Oh, and we were both wearing masks .

I'm also breathless and wheezy a lot of the time.
It's because my spleen is swollen.

I have had a permanent cough for years, due to chronic lung conditions.
I wear a mask in shops etc, if I can. Sometimes I can't, because I am so breathless.
Should I stay at home, permanently, or perhaps wear a badge, stating unclean?

Now that is just silly. Misinterpret all you want. I would be sure you don’t cough all over everyone because you don seem like that sort at all.

MayBee70

I think, in the current climate, we all need to be more sensitive to how others may be feeling and how vulnerable some people may be, health wise. For that reason I think it’s inconsiderate for someone to be in a crowded place coughing and spluttering given that coughing is still a main symptom of covid.

We now know, and have done for some time that this virus is going to be around in one form or another for some foreseeable future. Are you suggesting that everyone with a cough locks themselves away. Never mind shopping. What about just living a normal life. You might have chosen to live like this but millions choose not to and live a normal life.