how long is flu contagious?
With flu season making it's earliest start in years, and certain strains of the virus hitting unlucky Americans hard this year, itâs important to be extra vigilant in your efforts to avoid catching it. I recently got this question emailed to me by a concerned viewer: Q: When is someone who has the flu contagious? Some people who are infected with the influenza virus can actually transmit the illness before they begin to feel any symptoms. Most of the time, you will become contagious about 24 to 72 hours after contracting the influenza virus and remain that way for up to five days after the onset of symptoms. But children or people with compromised immune systems can be contagious to those around them for up to two weeks. Flu is most commonly spread by coming into contact with respiratory moisture droplets from an infected person through sneezing or coughing.