<p>Cold season is upon us, so it’s no wonder you’re side-eyeing that person coughing on the bus.</p><p>But does a cough mean someone is still infectious? How do you know you’re in the clear to go back to work?</p><p>Norman and Tegan talk through the science, and also how attitudes have changed since the COVID-19 pandemic.</p><p>References:</p><ul><li><a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3596033/" target="_blank">How Long Does a Cough Last? Comparing Patients’ Expectations With Data From a Systematic Review of the Literature</a></li><li><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1198743X24003124" target="_blank">Acute cough in outpatients: what causes it, how long does it last, and how severe is it for different viruses and bacteria?</a> </li><li><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S175543651200031X?via%3Dihub" target="_blank">Estimating influenza latency and infectious period durations using viral excretion data</a></li><li><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36913789/" target="_blank">Duration of viral infectiousness and correlation with symptoms and diagnostic testing in non-hospitalized adults during acute SARS-CoV-2 infection: A longitudinal cohort study</a></li><li><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-13582-3" target="_blank">How the pandemic shaped presenteeism trends between healthcare and non-healthcare workers using the Korean working conditions surveys (2010–2023)</a> </li><li><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2773065425000550" target="_blank">Sickness Presenteeism in the Aftermath of COVID-19: Is Presenteeism Remote-Work Behavior the New (Ab)normal?</a> </li><li><a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD001831.pub5/full?cookiesEnabled" target="_blank">Over‐the‐counter (OTC) medications for acute cough in children and adults in community settings</a></li><li><a href="https://bmjopenrespres.bmj.com/content/3/1/e000137" target="_blank">Comprehensive evidence-based review on European antitussives</a></li></ul><p>If you enjoyed this episode, check these out!</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/whats-that-rash/sick-cold-flu-exercise/105644748">Is it OK to exercise when you're sick?</a></li><li><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/whats-that-rash/office-job-sitting-sedentary-ergonomics/104128082">Are office jobs ruining our bodies?</a></li><li><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/whats-that-rash/snail-mucin-skincare-anti-ageing/106459266">Should you add snail slime to your skincare routine?</a></li></ul>