How many days are contagious with flu?
Annie Reichert
2025-06-22 16:02:18
Count answers: 6
You're typically contagious from 1 day before you have any symptoms. You stay contagious for 5-7 days after you start feeling sick. Kids and people with weak immune systems may shed the virus even longer. You can spread the flu before you feel ill, but you're typically most contagious during the first 3 days of your illness. People are usually contagious up to a week after they develop symptoms. Some experts believe you’re most likely to spread the virus in the first 3 to 4 days. The flu virus can be spread until symptoms disappear.
Jamel VonRueden
2025-06-22 15:51:31
Count answers: 14
People with flu are most contagious in the three to four days after their symptoms start but what makes the flu highly contagious is that the contagious period typically begins about 24 hours before symptoms first appear and can last up to seven days after becoming sick. Since you may be contagious before and after showing symptoms, it’s easy to see how flu can spread so quickly—some people, especially children and people with weakened immune systems, may even remain contagious for a longer duration. The flu is a highly contagious respiratory illness that spreads easily from person to person. The virus primarily travels through respiratory droplets released into the air when an infected person talks, coughs, or sneezes. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people nearby and potentially be inhaled into their lungs.
Letha McKenzie
2025-06-22 15:01:45
Count answers: 5
You are likely to be less contagious at this time, depending on factors like how long you were sick or how sick you were. When, for at least 24 hours, your symptoms are getting better overall and you have not had a fever (and are not using fever-reducing medication), you are typically less contagious, but it still takes more time for your body to fully get rid of the virus. During this time, you may still be able to spread the virus to others. Using precautions for the next 5 days can help reduce this risk. After this 5-day period, you are typically much less likely to be contagious. However, some people, especially people with weakened immune systems, can continue to spread the virus for a longer period of time. How long someone can spread the virus depends on different factors, including how sick they are (severity) and how long their illness lasts (duration), This is not the same for everyone. You can go back to your normal activities when, for at least 24 hours, both are true: Your symptoms are getting better overall, and You have not had a fever (and are not using fever-reducing medication). When you go back to your normal activities, take added precaution over the next 5 days, such as taking additional steps for cleaner air, hygiene, masks, physical distancing, and/or testing when you will be around other people indoors. If you never had symptoms but tested positive for a respiratory virus you may be contagious, For the next 5 days: take added precaution.
Cheyenne Abernathy
2025-06-22 14:57:16
Count answers: 10
You are contagious for about three to seven days after symptoms appear. You have the potential to spread flu before symptom appear. You can be contagious or were contagious the day before you noticed any symptoms. You still can spread the flu for about a week after you started feeling sick or as long as you have symptoms. The flu is contagious for about 24 hours after your fever breaks. After symptoms decrease, the virus may continue to shed. Those with a weakened immune system may continue to shed flu virus for longer than an otherwise healthy person. The severity of your case of flu, your individual immune response and your flu vaccination status affect how long the flu is contagious. Most flu symptoms go away in four to seven days for otherwise healthy adults, but you still may be contagious. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises staying home for at least 24 hours after your fever goes away without the help of ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
Kaela Hudson
2025-06-22 13:27:22
Count answers: 8
Influenza viruses can be detected in most infected people beginning one day before symptoms develop and up to five to seven days after becoming sick. People with flu are most contagious during the first three days of their illness. Some people, including young children and people with weakened immune systems may be contagious for longer periods of time. Symptoms typically begin about two days after influenza viruses infect a person's respiratory tract. It is theoretically possible that before symptoms begin, an infected person can spread influenza viruses to their close contacts. Some people can be infected with influenza viruses and have no symptoms but may still be able to spread the virus to their close contacts. Influenza viruses can be detected in most infected persons beginning one day before symptoms develop and up to five to seven days after becoming sick.
Claud Lehner
2025-06-22 12:33:59
Count answers: 12
You may be contagious before you know you have flu – the influenza virus spreads very easily, even if you don’t currently have any symptoms. After being infected, you are contagious for a day even before you develop any symptoms of the flu. While you have symptoms, you are highly contagious – it may go without saying, but when you at struggling with a full-blown flu infection you are at your most contagious. You will still be contagious while you’re recovering – even if you’re feeling a bit better after your bout with the flu, and feel like you’re on the road to recover, you’re still able to pass on your infection to other people. You are still contagious for up to a week after becoming sick. If you’re contagious, stay at home – nobody likes getting the flu, so try to stay away from other people if you’re still contagious. Flu spreads especially quickly in enclosed spaces, such as at work or school, so going back before you’ve fully recovered puts other people at risk of catching the flu from you.
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