when are you first contagious with a cold?
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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.
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A cold virus spreads through tiny, air droplets that are released when the sick person sneezes, coughs, or blows their nose. You can catch a cold if: A person with a cold sneezes, coughs, or blows their nose near you.
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When Flu Spreads People with flu are most contagious in the first three to four days after their illness begins. Most healthy adults may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 5 to 7 days after becoming sick.
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The takeaway You're typically contagious one to two days before symptoms develop and may remain contagious until your symptoms go away. If you or your child is diagnosed with bacterial tonsillitis, you're usually not contagious when your fever is gone and you have been on antibiotics for 24 hours.
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The bottom line The common cold is a contagious viral infection with an incubation period of one to three days. This means it could take up to three days for you to notice symptoms after being exposed to the virus.
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After an incubation period of 24 to 72 hours, cold symptoms begin with a scratchy or sore throat, followed by sneezing, rhinorrhea, nasal obstruction, and malaise. Temperature is usually normal, particularly when the pathogen is a rhinovirus or coronavirus.
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The contagious period for the flu begins about 1 day before symptoms start and can last as long as 5-7 days from when you first felt sick. You're generally contagious with a cold 1-2 days before your symptoms start, and you could be contagious as long as your symptoms are present—in rare cases, up to 2 weeks.
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Those first few days of a runny nose, coughing, and sneezing are when she's most likely to get others sick. But you'll still want to keep her away from friends for 4-5 days after that. In fact, she will be contagious as long as her cold symptoms last -- which could be up to 3 weeks.
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The most common culprits are the parainfluenza or influenza virus, which is the same viruses that cause the common cold or flu. Croup is contagious for the first three days after the illness starts and until the fever resolves. It is spread through droplets from coughing or sneezing.
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People with flu are most contagious in the first three to four days after their illness begins. Most healthy adults may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 5 to 7 days after becoming sick.
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Typically, you're contagious from 1 day before you have any symptoms. You stay that way for 5 to 7 days after you start feeling sick. The virus can be spread until symptoms disappear.
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With norovirus — the most common cause of viral gastroenteritis in adults — you're contagious when you begin to feel ill. Symptoms usually appear within one to two days of exposure. Although you typically feel better after a day or two, you're contagious for a few days after you recover.
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It has an incubation period of about 12 - 48 hours, and can cause the person to be contagious during the incubation period and for as long as they shed virus (usually about three days after symptoms stop but sometimes up to two weeks).
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URIs are highly contagious and spread through coughing, hand contact, and even by touching objects an infected person has touched. Kids in childcare and grade school get the most colds. Infections like this are most widespread in winter months.
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Symptoms of a cold can be felt about one to four days after catching a cold virus. They start with a burning feeling in the nose or throat, followed by sneezing, a runny nose, and a feeling of being tired and unwell. This is the period when you are the most contagious, so it's best to stay home and rest.
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This is called the incubation period. Once your symptoms do appear, they may last for two to four weeks. You can pass the virus to other people through your saliva for up to three months after your symptoms subside. Some studies have reported that you may still be contagious for up to 18 months.
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Once a person is infected and sick, they can be contagious and spread the virus for about 7 to 10 days. The virus can be spread through close personal contact such as kissing, or sharing drinking cups, forks, or spoons. It can also spread through droplets in the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes.