when is flu most contagious
Flu season typically starts in the fall and runs through the winter. A study published in the medical journal PLOS Pathogens suggested that flu viruses are most easily transmitted in winter, when the air is cold and dry. The flu is contagious a day before and five days to a week after its onset. Young children, people over 65, those with compromised immune systems, and people with a terminal illness are at risk of death from the flu. Pregnant women are also at greater risk. The flu can also cause premature birth.