how long to catch the flu
After the symptoms present, the person can remain contagious as long as their body is still producing mucus, (nose discharge, chest congestion). During this period anything the person touches can also become infected with germs. (They can be sick up to 2 weeks.) Because a cold is caused by a virus, antibiotics will not help. The flu, (depending upon the strain of virus), can appear between 1 to 4 days after the virus enters the body. So it presents faster and harder than a cold. Rather than starting with nose or throat, it usually begins with a strong headache, body aches, painful to swallow, exhaustion and a high fever with chills.