This is this time of year! People spread the joy of the holidays, and the germs, leading to illnesses like Covid, the flu, RSV, the norovirus bug, and more. But how long are you contagious?
Dr. Carla García Carreno, director of infection prevention and at Children’s Medical Center, is already experiencing spikes in RSV, Covid and flu in her area, she told CBS News.
And a wave of covid infections beyond the winter is also likely. .
Luckily, there are ways to help prevent illness, including social distancing, washing our hands and getting vaccinated.
But if you end something, this is what you want to know to protect others in this Christmas season.
People with COVID-19 can be contagious from one or two days before and up to 8 to 10 days after the symptoms begin, according to CDC.
“The majority of transmission appears to occur during the early periods of infection, particularly in the 1 to 2 days before symptoms start and within the first few days of symptom onset,” its website notes.
COVID symptoms in 2024 may vary depending on vaccination status but can include:
Still, it’s vital to check and not diagnose yourself, say Mavens.
“If you have symptoms of coughing, throat pain or nasal flow, anything, I cannot tell you if it is a cold, if it is pneumonia that travels, if it is the covid or the flu.
Other asymptomatic people can also spread the virus.
So how do we know when you’ll be around others?You no longer have to wait to verify negative. Instead, the CDC shared simplified rules for when to end isolation after contracting the virus: no fever for 24 hours and stepped up symptoms.
“Once the person is fever-free for 24 hours without the use of any fever-reducing medicines like ibuprofen, they should be a little bit out of the woods … but also your respiratory symptoms need to be improving,” Garcia Carreno said.
After this period, you can start going out, however, it is a smart concept to take precautions to ensure the protection of others.
“For example, stay socially distanced from others and, if possible, wear a mask. This is recommended for five more days,” he said.
In addition to COVID, these guidelines also apply to other respiratory infections, including flu and RSV, Garcia Carreno said.
In most people infected, influenza viruses can be detected starting one day before symptoms begin and up to five to seven days after becoming sick, according to the CDC.
“People with flu are most contagious during the first three days of their illness. Some people, including young children and people with weakened immune systems may be contagious for longer periods of time,” the agency’s website states.
The updated rules of CDCs apply here, which means that it can return to general after 24 hours without fever without medications and their symptoms have improved.
Garcia Carreno said the use of medications like Tamiflu also don’t change these timelines.
“The use of antivirals is not intended to prolong the spread of the disease,” he said.
While antiviral medications can relieve symptoms, other people still monitor fever and symptoms based on updated CDC guidelines.
People in poor health with flu in the abdomen, also known as viral gastroenteritis or norovirus belly bug, will turn regularly in 1 to 3 days, but they can still spread the virus to others over the next few days, and the virus can on surfaces and continue to infect other people for weeks.
“You can still spread norovirus for 2 weeks or more after you feel better,” the CDC says.
Norovirus is a gastrointestinal virus, not a respiratory virus like other illnesses we see this time of year, Garcia Carreno explained.
“It’s also very contagious, but it’s more contagious through vomiting and diarrhea, so it’s transmitted fecally (and) orally,” he said. “That’s why washing your hands is vital and it’s vital to say that we regularly want bleach-based products to inactivate norovirus. »
Norovirus instances are spreading in parts of the United States this winter, according to CDC data.
If there is norovirus at home, García Carreño advises sterilizing or decontaminating the toilet used by that person.
In addition to washing your hands to check for illness, it’s also a smart idea to share cups and utensils with other people to avoid gastrointestinal and respiratory viruses, he said.
People with RSV are sometimes contagious for 3 to 8 days, according to the CDC. They may also be contagious for a day or two before starting to have symptoms.
“Some infants and people with weakened immune systems can continue to spread the virus for 4 weeks or longer, even after they stop showing symptoms,” the agency notes.
The same CDC rules for Covid and Flu also apply to RSV: Other people can end isolation after being fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medications and have symptoms going forward.
Generally, the rule that applies to other respiratory viruses is also used for bacterial pneumonia, García Carreño said, meaning that once a user is fever-free for 24 hours and sees an improvement in symptoms, they won’t be as contagious.
“Also, for the majority, of these pneumonias, you usually are not contagious after 24 hours of antibiotics. So once you have received 24 hours of effective or appropriate antibiotics … the contagiousness will decrease,” she said.
You’re most contagious when symptoms are at their worst, according to the Cleveland Clinic, which is usually the first three days.
But you can still spread the sickness beyond that timeframe.
“It can be contagious for up to two weeks, even extend a day or two days before having symptoms,” says the clinic.
The classic common cold virus is rhinovirus, and the same rules will apply for rhinovirus (as other respiratory viruses),” Garcia Carreno said, but warned rhinovirus is “one of the most contagious viruses” even if its symptoms are milder.