Contagious how long are colds

Adalja says. Schaffner agrees. Doctors say there are a few things you can do to keep the people around you from getting sick:. If you need to be around other people, Dr. Adalja suggests wearing your mask to help keep your germs to yourself.

An at-home test should work fine, he says. Popular Topics. Women's Health. Expert Advice. Patient Stories. Make an Appointment. Schedule a Callback. It's important to cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze, because research has shown that infectious particles can travel as far as 6 feet. Stock photo by FeaturePics. He updated his advice from last year, took a strong stand on getting the flu vaccine and helped bust some common cold and flu myths, such as: 1.

Can you catch a cold from being cold? Facebook Video component. So how long are people contagious? If you have just a mild cold, are you less infectious? What breakthroughs are coming next? Sign up for news. Hands are bad, right? How far does avoiding touching bathroom doors get you?

What about facial masks? Do they help at all? Here's what he had to say: The discussion around masks has changed dramatically over the last year and a half. Why do people often get a cold after flying on a plane? In what way is having kids like flying on a plane? What about the high-dose vaccine? Why did the CDC stop recommending flu mist for children? What about claims that vaccines are linked to autism?

Is there any treatment for a cold or flu? Is there anything you can do to treat a cold? What about chicken soup? Help Us Eliminate Cancer Every dollar counts. Please support lifesaving research today.

Custom Donation Amount. Why does flu make some people sick, but not others? New study points to single mutations that allow flu to slip past immune system of some people, but not others August 27, Fight the flu with Netflix? Staying home and avoiding others can put a big dent in an epidemic, new TV-flu study finds January 22, Viruses on a plane! How flu travels around the world Flu that infects mainly children circles globe more slowly than types that hit jet-setting adults June 8, Last Modified, October 12, The length of time you're infectious for after having a viral infection depends on the type of virus involved.

The length of time that bronchitis is infectious varies, depending on its cause. In most cases, bronchitis is caused by the same viruses that cause the common cold or flu, and you're likely to be infectious as long as you have cold or flu symptoms. Chickenpox is infectious from 2 days before the spots appear to until they have crusted over, usually 5 days after they first appeared.

The common cold is infectious from a few days before your symptoms appear until all of the symptoms are gone. Most people will be infectious for around 2 weeks. Symptoms are usually worse during the first 2 to 3 days, and this is when you're most likely to spread the virus. Flu is usually most infectious from the day your symptoms start and for a further 3 to 7 days. Glandular fever isn't particularly contagious and can usually only be spread through direct contact with saliva, which is why it's sometimes called "the kissing disease".

Around 2 to 4 days later, a red-brown spotty rash develops that normally fades after about a week.