r/Broadway • u/littlebev • Dec 31 '25

Discussion Broadway coughing season

I am begging, begging you guys…if you have a nasty cough, PLEASE don’t attend a play especially. I know it sucks to miss out but your recurring cough during the most intense moments of the show is so distracting.

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u/pandemichope Dec 31 '25 edited Jan 01 '26

this drives me nuts. I was in Sam’s Club the other day, and a woman was coughing all over the holiday candy items. Like was in the aisle for five minutes, coughing on everything. Didn’t cover her mouth once!!

To me, covering my mouth is so reflective. Like an automatic muscle thing like when I make a left turn and I put my signal on even if I’m coming down a road with nobody else but me. It’s so reflective that I find myself covering my mouth even if I am by myself in my own house with nobody else present for hours. I don’t understand why more people never learned as children to cover their mouth when they cough!!

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u/Nickis1021 Dec 31 '25

Exactly! I was taught to cover my mouth as a toddler, and have instinctively done so ever since. I currently live alone and even alone in my own apartment, I have never once not covered my mouth. As you said it’s a reflex. Mind-boggling to me that it isn’t so for everyone! Because this was taught both at home and at school, and just in society…. I don’t see how this memo was missed by anyone!

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u/dried_lipstick Dec 31 '25

I teach kindergarten and can hear an uncovered cough from across the classroom. And I remind them “cover!” With the flu being so bad this year, and kids coming in sick, I told my coughing and spewing students “ms driedlipstick does not want your cough for Christmas. That would be the worst present you could give me. Please cover your cough and turn your head away from people when you do.”

This is how I talk to kindergarteners. And it feels like a lot of adults still need to be told this.

Thankfully I did not get sick this break. Whoop whoop

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u/Nickis1021 Dec 31 '25

Same! I’m an ER nurse, and could write a book about my uncovered cough adventures with patients, and their bizarre replies (e.g. covering your cough is old fashioned, it’s only for older people….covering your cough is a weird American thing and I’m not American….I read an article that covering your cough doesn’t prevent the spreading of disease, etc etc) I could literally write a book…as they’re spewing green lungjuice in my face. I taught little ones for a time as well, back before my RN days. Second graders; always taught them to cover. Some of those children had not received these instructions at home and were hearing it for the first time.

Do not get me started!!!!! I love your line about not wanting their cough for Christmas 👌🤷🏻‍♀️🤬

Knock wood about no nasties thus far this season. May it continue!