How Long Are You Contagious with the Flu?
Flu season is long, lasting generally from October through May, and this virus has infected at least 19 million people in the U.S. so far. If this flu season seems particularly brutal, it is.
If you live in a household with others, it can be tricky to keep everyone from getting sick. If you can spread out in your living space, that’s best, but for how long? Experts agree that you’re the most contagious during the first three to four days of being infected, but you might be contagious before you start feeling like you got hit by a truck, and that’s when the majority of transmission occurs. Young children, older people, and those with weakened immune systems can be contagious even longer, according to the CDC.
Sneezing, coughing, and even talking send infected germs projecting into any room you are in, so wiping down shared surfaces with germ-killing wipes can help. Washing your hands with warm, soapy water for at least 30 seconds after you blow your nose is also helpful.
Air Purifiers Can Help
A small study out of the University of Maryland found that people who were infected with the flu did not infect others in shared space when an air purifier was in use.
“Our results suggest that portable air purifiers that stir up the air as well as clean it could be a big help. But if you are really close and someone is coughing, the best way to stay safe is to wear a mask, especially the N95 [respirator],” said Donald Milton, M.D., of the University of Maryland in a news release. Dr. Milton and others authored a scientific paper about this study and published it in PLOS Pathogens.
Using common sense and keeping your germs to yourself as best you can may reduce the risk of transmitting the flu to others.