Is influenza contagious?
A person can spread influenza before he or she feels sick. Adults can continue to pass the influenza virus to others for another three to seven days after symptoms start. Children can pass the virus for longer than seven days. Symptoms start one to four days after the virus enters the body. Some persons can be infected with the influenza virus but have no symptoms. During this time, those persons can still spread the virus to others.

Show All Answers

1. What is influenza (the flu)?
2. What are the symptoms of influenza?
3. What are some complications of influenza?
4. How is the influenza virus spread from one person to another?
5. Is influenza contagious?
6. What should I do if I get the flu?
7. How do you keep from getting the flu?