Timing is key: How long are you contagious with the flu?
After you are in close contact with someone who has influenza, you may anxiously wait for your own flu symptoms to start. Once they do, you may wonder when you are no longer contagious.
Here’s what you should know.
“The influenza virus spreads through droplets when people sneeze, talk, play instruments or sing,” explains Dr. Ryan Hicks, a family medicine physician at Advocate Health Care. “It can also spread by touching your eyes, mouth, or nose after touching something that has influenza virus particles left behind on it.”
Flu symptoms, including a fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, and aches, typically start about two days after the initial influenza infection. If you develop any of these symptoms, you should isolate, rest and get a flu test as soon as possible.
“If you are flu positive, you are most contagious during the first three days of symptoms,” Dr. Hicks says. “The influenza virus is detectable in people for five to seven days after symptoms start.”
Taking antiviral medications within the first two days of flu symptoms starting can lessen the severity and shorten the length of symptoms by about one day.
“People who are at higher risk for complications and are diagnosed with the flu can also benefit from starting antivirals,” Dr. Hicks says.
Factors that increase your risk for influenza complications include:
- Age – 65 years or older or under the age of 2.
- Obesity
- Asthma and COPD
- Heart disease
- Liver disease
- Being immunocompromised – This includes receiving cancer treatment or having HIV/AIDS.
- Diabetes and kidney disease
- Metabolic disorders
- Neurologic and neurodevelopment conditions
- Physical disabilities
- Pregnancy
- Sickle cell disease and other blood disorders
- History of stroke
Influenza prevention
The best ways to protect yourself from contracting influenza include getting a flu shot and frequently washing your hands. Influenza vaccines are available to anyone 6 months and older. Plus, you can get the updated vaccines for both flu and COVID at the same time.
