MLB Stars Get Massive Contracts But Few Endorsements. Hereâs Why. Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Michael Saunders (left) is congratulated by third baseman Josh Donaldson as he scores against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, April 3, 2016.
However, the viruses that cause colds (for example, rhinoviruses) are not the same as those that cause the flu (influenza viruses). Although the typical incubation period for influenza is about one to four days, some adults can be contagious from about one day before onset of symptoms for up to two weeks. Other people who develop complications, such as pneumonia, may extend the contagious period for a week or two. For colds, most individuals become contagious about a day before cold symptoms develop and remain contagious for about five to seven days.
Most experts agree that adults with a cold or the flu start being contagious about a day before they start experiencing symptoms. For the flu, the contagious period then lasts five to seven days into the illness. For children, the contagious period for the flu can last up to two weeks after they start feeling sick, even if they start feeling better before that. The contagious period for a cold lasts about three to four days into the illness. As a general rule, people with a cold are most contagious about three days after their initial exposure to the virus. For more information on colds, influenza and related topics, check out the links on the next page.