Sick people in shops

I have a chronic cough due to a lung condition. It’s not an infection and not contagious, but I can understand people’s concerns. Usually, I can manage an hour or two without much coughing, but on a day like today, damp and muggy, I tend to stay in, because I know I won’t be able to hold the cough in ?

nanna8

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.

I was being fascetious, Nanna.

Your opening post touched a raw nerve, that's all. I'm sure you didn't mean to sound harsh.

How judgemental. The man might have had Asthma or hey fever, nothing at all to do with being ill. No need to be hysterical.

Very judgemental, calling someone selfish for coughing is unkind, you do not know his circumstances.

If a person is coughing due to a chronic condition, they might still have a respiratory infection they could spread to others. Neither they, nor anyone else knows if they have an infection at any particular time, so it makes sense for anyone coughing to at least cover their mouth and nose - with a hanky if they can't wear a mask.

Pre-Covid I was always a bit wary of other people coughing as I seem to be very prone to picking up colds. Being careful not to spread disease is not new - when TB was rampant there were campaigns against spitting and coughing in public places.

Plenty of allergies can make you cough incessantly or sneeze, but are in no way contagious.

It worried you that this person looked and sounded ill, so sensibly you left his vicinity.

I think the pandemic has made a lot of us over-cautious,

You are right to take any and all precautions you find necessary, but wrong in my book to accuse anyone of selfishness when you do not know the true facts.

I agree with the general statement - if you are sick, stay home

However, like posters shared, it is not all what it seems

I have bad hayfever that causes a cough (nasal drip) combined with my red eyes and sore nose don't look great, should I lock myself away? (although I try not to cough over anyone, a sneeeze sometimes takes me totally by surprise!!)

So he was wearing a mask as well as you?

You should be ok then, what more could he have done except lock himself indoors?

pandapatch
Perhaps you could buy a bell to let everyone know that your unclean ?
Dark humour, I know, but it’s getting ridiculous.

nanna8 "This was a young bloke and I'd be surprised if he had had any lung disease" Why the surprise, lung disease does not just affect older people but people of all ages. Ultimately you must do what you feel right for your own safety just as we all must do.

Oopsadaisy - OP says that the man was not wearing a mask, so she was probably wise to avoid him.

Oh my goodness you are saying this was a young bloke so you would be surprised if he had any lung disease! Jeez!!!! I’ve heard it all now.

AudilO
See my post @14.06.
Bat shit bonkers ?

I would not be at all surprised if a young man had a lung disease.

Let me start with asthma, cystic fibrosis, tuberculosis and many more diseases, some genetic that can affect young people.

I would hope that, if he had cystic fibrosis, he would be wearing a mask in indoor places.

MayBee70

I would hope that, if he had cystic fibrosis, he would be wearing a mask in indoor places.

If he had cystic fibrosis, he may not have been able to tolerate wearing a mask.

....."No excuse, there is a delivery service available at very little cost. " Then why don't you use it?

nanna8

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 .

The "young bloke" could have Cystic Fibrosis, an inherited condition affection the lungs and digestive system.

So WHO does the mask protect? Other people or the wearer?
From public health notices at the start of the pandemic we were led to believe we wore masks to protect others.

Both. A mask can protect you and other people. The protection works both ways.

ExDancer

So WHO does the mask protect? Other people or the wearer?
From public health notices at the start of the pandemic we were led to believe we wore masks to protect others.

There were some really rubbish messages at the beginning. Nobody really knew much about the virus at all. People thought it was like Ebola. However, once it was known that the virus was airborne and could be spread by quite small droplets, it was also shown by many studies that masks cut down transmission. It's not rocket science. Over the years, there has been much research on the spread of air droplets. If you put up a barrier between one person's nose/mouth and another person's nose/mouth, the virus can't attach itself to a new host and will just die.

Because of our age we still wear a mask in supermarkets. We have had covid, tested negative but can't shift the cough yet. He could have had any number of problems but it would have been good if he covered his mouth. Covid is now very difficult to avoid unless you stay indoors all the time.

I think some people are being over-critical of nanna8. If the young man in question was "coughing everywhere", that suggests to me that he was not covering his mouth or coughing into his elbow. People with lung problems are not prevented from having good manners, as I'm sure those GNers with lung and other problems would agree!

It's also about viral load. If there were two people in the Albert Hall and one had Covid, it's unlikely the other one would be infected, unless they were standing very close and talking directly.