Cough and cold symptoms..not been anywhere

Could be an allergy, or a common but often unrecognised/underdiagnosed cause can be silent reflux (ie you get no symptoms of dyspepsia or indigestion, just a cough).

DH and I haven't been in a shop, any house except our own, on public transport, had any visitors, since before last march. We have been home and had the odd walk, and had the odd doorstep to our DD where we have always been outside and at least 4m apart. And yet we have both had runny noses and coughs on numerous occasions. Could well be allergies, but we do sometimes get a temp and achey as well. I have been this way for decades when mostly housebound. I'm convinced for some ppl viruses never really leave our systems. I have CFS and the decades of post viral fatigue must have some root cause.

When go into the spare bedrooms, I always wonder how the dust gets in.

Not COVID, but DH is still in hospital, having picked up an infection while in the Critical Care Unit where he was being cared for immediately post-operatively.

If you are in anyway immune compromised you are susceptible to everything going that the immune systems of the fit and well swat like flies. Short of being in a Clean Room with filtered air, infections are everywhere.

My 88y old stepfather told me yesterday that a neighbour of his, early 80’s caught it 10 days ago and is now in ICU.

All his neighbours were shocked as the man in question had been super careful, always wore a mask, hardly ever went out except for his morning paper - and the newsagent said he wouldn’t enter the shop if there was even one customer inside already.

Overthehill try a couple of Anti Histamine tablets, you might find it’s an allergy and taking one pill a day will sort you out.

it's a matter of luck, or ill-luck, combined with exposure, i think. obviously there is not a boundary which is crossed after 15 minutes. it's just that most of the cases were contracted after 15 mins exposure. it's probability, not some kind of cut-off.
i guess psychologically people are trying to cling on to some idea of control, but there is a lot of muddled thinking, which is not helpful.+

Of course a lot of viruses just lurk around in our bodies waiting for us to get a bit run down eg herpes. And the stress of all this makes things worse.

If you’re in an enclosed area and someone with the virus coughs or sneezes and they’re not wearing a mask you can still catch it from them even if you are metres away.

I have experienced similar-very like GagaJo above. I was a bit alarmed everything is delivered and any visitors have been socially distanced .
Tbh I have 2 cats which I'm slightly allergic to. I certainly dont always drink as much as I should do and the heatings on! I've started to notice recently when I have seen someone even when socially distanced afterwards I have what feels like a slight sore throat! I'm pretty certain it's a combination of the above with a touch of paranoia, especially with all the talk of a new strain.
A lot of people are very dismissive of the fact the virus may be transmitted via surfaces. I think the odds are low.
However if it's that low why are people not allowed to try on clothes/use communal cutlery etc?
I know in 2 local care homes staff change into separate clothes on leaving and entering. Items bought into homes have to be isolated for 72 hours. Yes,they wont be taking risks but they are also working under guidelines by PHE.
At times it seems very contradictory some people become infected despite following guidelines and reducing risk as far as can. The guidelines for those shielding were incredibly restrictive.
Yet some people who are vulnerable seem to be quite cavalier and are so far fine! Maybe it's just luck,or bad luck. I have come across articles that some people are genetically more vulnerable whether they are clinically vulnerable or not.
Worrying ?

Over the last couple of months, I have periodically had stuffy sinuses and a dry cough, once with a sore throat. Each time, I have panicked myself about it just for it to go away again. For me, I think it is a combination of dodgy sinuses, mask wearing and central heating. I try to drink more and keep the rooms I am in as ventilated as possible.

Yes Fanny that’s what they said before, now trying to explain the new more infectious strain, they say it could be much less than 15 minutes!

BlueSky another poster on here mentioned that she'd heard that it was only possible to contract covid if you were within close contact with an infected person for 15 minutes.
I don't believe this at all.

If we can still catch viruses (colds, flu or Covid) even when being extremely careful, then it is very worrying indeed.

Overthehill your cough sounds to me like an allergy.

My husband caught Covid while shielding. He must have picked it up taking me to hospital. (While wearing a mask and sanitising constantly.)

Yes, it was reported that someone who'd been shielding caught Covid. The person hadn't ventured out anywhere at all. I did wonder what the condition was that they had to shield so were obviously more susceptible to whatever was floating about.