USA Today: Have you caught a cold? Here's how long you will be contagious. (2024)

FAQs

When is someone no longer contagious from a cold? ›

Typically, you are contagious with a cold for no longer than seven days. Symptoms usually develop within two to three days and peak during the first few days, when you are most contagious. Symptoms generally subside within one week, but coughing and a runny or stuffy nose may linger for as long as two weeks.

However, you don't need to stay home for the entire duration of the cold. Schmidt says to stay home during the first two to three days of symptoms when the cold is especially transmittable. When people start to feel better, they can return to daily life.

If you come in contact with cold or flu germs, your chance of getting sick isn't 100%. It depends on when the other person was infected, and how many viral particles are contained in the droplets. People are most contagious during the first 2 to 3 days of a cold.

The worst of it — fever and aches — should be over in three to five days. The coughing and general tiredness can linger two weeks or more. When can I go back to work? Wait at least five days after onset of symptoms and 24 hours after your fever breaks.

But unless you've got other symptoms like aches or fever, get dressed and go to work! If you've been sick for a few days and you now cough up darker yellow mucus, it's still probably just a cold. But if it goes on this way for more than a week, it's a good idea to see your doctor.

When Is a Cold Sore No Longer Contagious? Cold sores are typically contagious for up to 15 days. You need to wait until all your cold sore symptoms have cleared – including the blister and any scabbing – to reach the point when cold sores are not contagious anymore.

A cold often starts with a runny nose and sore throat, followed by coughing and sneezing. You're contagious a day or two before this starts and for as long as you feel sick, usually a week or two. It may be longer if you already have breathing problems or a weak immune system.

You are contagious for the entire period of time symptoms are present, all the way until they disappear. Keep in mind, however, when your symptoms are at their worst - generally the first two to three days - you are at your most infectious. Vaccine available? Currently, there's no vaccine for the common cold.

As a minimum, people should stay away from work two to three days with a cold, and for the first week of influenza, recommends Dr Brooks. She says if you are sensing your body needs more rest, it's better to stay home. If you aren't sure, see a GP.

After you're exposed to a cold virus, it typically takes 1 to 3 days for you to develop symptoms. But it's possible to develop symptoms as soon as 10 to 12 hours after exposure. Peak of symptoms: Cold symptoms peak at 1 to 3 days.

Do cold germs live on bedding? ›

"If you, your partner or your child has been ill, toss your sheets into the wash immediately to kill any lingering germs. Viruses, such as those that cause flu, colds and stomach bugs, can linger on soft surfaces like bedding for up to 12 hours.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also recommends staying home for at least 24 hours after a fever, and other flu-like symptoms (chills, sweating, flushed skin) have cleared up. Even if you feel all right, your symptoms — or lack thereof — could be deceiving.

Once you develop symptoms, recovery from an uncomplicated cold usually takes about 7 to 10 days. Your infection continues to be contagious as long as you have symptoms. Since your infection is contagious from before your symptoms start until they improve, you can potentially pass the virus to others for up to 2 weeks.

The stages of a cold include the incubation period, appearance of symptoms, remission, and recovery. The common cold is a mild upper respiratory infection caused by viruses.

A reduction in symptoms means a cold is starting to go away. A person may feel less congested, no longer have a sore throat, or feel less tired, for example. Another sign the cold may be going away is if a person feels like resuming their usual activities or no longer notices their symptoms.

But if you also have a cough and sore throat, you might have a cold. That means you're contagious, so take the day off. Remember that a cough by itself doesn't necessarily mean a cold. If you just have a tickle in the back of your throat without the other symptoms, that's a sign of allergies, and you're not contagious.

Taking precautions for the next 5 days can help reduce this risk. After this 5-day period, you are typically much less likely to be contagious. However, some people, especially people with weakened immune systems, can continue to spread the virus for a longer period of time.