How long is one contagious with the flu?

Flu, also known as influenza, is a respiratory illness caused by viruses that infect your nose, throat, and lungs. It can cause mild to severe symptoms ranging from fever to coughing and sneezing. The flu virus spreads quickly from person to person through contact with contaminated surfaces or droplets when an infected person talks, coughs or sneezes. If you’re wondering how long it lasts and how contagious you are during the period of infection, we’ve got you covered!

Symptoms of Flu

Before we delve into how contagious this virus is (Spoiler alert: You could spread it like wildfire!), let’s take a brief look at its symptoms. Some common signs that tell someone has contracted flu may include:

  • Headache
  • High temperature (fever)
  • Blocked or runny nose
  • Sore throat
  • Cough
  • Muscle ache/s

These symptoms usually develop within 1–3 days after exposure to the virus.

How Long After Exposure Can You Spread the Flu?

Once someone gets infected by influenza virus particles in their body fluids via breathing in contaminated air directly or indirectly (through another person who has already contracted it), they start shedding small quantities of these particles through exhalation for approximately 1 day before any symptom shows up! This means individuals have started spreading themselves even before realizing they caught something (and nope! They couldn’t help either)!

From then on onwards people tend to remain infectious for approximately five days post developing flu-like symptoms. (Told ya’ all so!)

Children younger than age six might be able to shed well over seven days whereas adult carriers may continue spreading germs lingering on around themselves until about ten coming days post initial contamination.

This once more underscored just quite virulent this disease progresses rapidly making swift action necessary once affected.

Luckily enough though was discovered that after a certain number of days the virus’ potency gradually dies off and ultimately becomes inactivates itself, particularly within two undergoing weeks.

Therefore, although people who do recover from flu are no longer contagious around this point (lucky enough!), they tend to tend to recuperate slower than faster without active medication! Surprisingly however those with underlining medical conditions or exceptional circumstances could remain infectious for as long as over three weeks making it all quite crucial that such individuals get immediate attention.

How Can You Prevent Infection?

  • Get vaccinated – annual shots can help safeguard you
  • Keep clean surfaces dry: Dampness provides conducive environments for infection incubation
  • Wash hands frequently using soap and water.
  • Cover your mouth when sneezing or coughing
  • Avoid close contact if possible someone showing obvious symptoms -everyone masked up!

Disclaimer – We ain’t expert pandemic medical practitioners

Nevertheless our common knowledge albeit cannot aspire to te profession judgment doesn’t mean we heedlessly ignore vital steps which undoubtedly, would aid keep ourselves safe in times like these where panic roams whenever ill-feelings occur.

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