How Long Does It Take For Flu To Show Symptoms

Preventing The Spread Of Flu

How long are individuals contagious with a cold or flu?

You can help stop yourself catching flu or spreading it to others with good hygiene measures.

Always wash your hands regularly with soap and warm water, as well as:

regularly cleaning surfaces such as your computer keyboard, telephone and door handles to get rid of germs
using tissues to cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze
putting used tissues in a bin as soon as possible

You can also help stop the spread of flu by avoiding unnecessary contact with other people while youre infectious. You should stay off work or school until youre feeling better.

In some people at risk of more serious flu, an annual flu vaccine or antiviral medication may be recommended to help reduce the risk of becoming infected.

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How Long Does It Take To Show Symptoms Of Hiv

What to Expect Next

The human immunodeficiency virus is a virus that attacks your bodys immune system. Left untreated, it can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome . Early diagnosis is key to slowing down disease progression.

Symptoms may vary from person to person, but knowing the early symptoms that could present can help you get diagnosed and treated as soon as possible.

This article will discuss the various stages of HIV, how symptoms may present, how testing works, and what to expect if you test positive for the virus.

Verywell / Danie Drankwalter

What Our Experts Say

COVID-19 symptoms vary from person to person, and so does the time it takes for the symptoms to appear. In general, it may take between two to 14 days after exposure to COVID-19 for symptoms to appear. According to the WHO, on average it may take 5-6 days for symptoms to appear.

Symptom onset also depends on the variant to which one is exposed.The incubation period for the Delta variant was shorter than the previous variants, and for Omicron it appears to be about three days, on average.

Some people have mild to moderate symptoms including fever, cough, tiredness, loss of taste or smell, sore throat, aches, and pains, while others may have more serious symptoms. Others may be asymptomatic, and infected people without symptoms can still infect others and are most infectious during the two days before symptoms appear. It is recommended that public health guidance be followed and one get tested if they have been exposed to anyone who has been confirmed to be infected with Sars-CoV-2.

This Is When The Flu Is The Most Contagious

According to Dr. Bailey, “Probably for a day prior to onset of symptoms till several days after symptoms appear, but people may be contagious for a week or more after illness begins. When do you stop being contagious? In general, someone is unlikely to be contagious a week after onset of symptoms or 24 hours after resolution of fever and respiratory symptoms individuals who are immunosuppressed may be contagious for a longer period.”

Dr. Pinto-Garcia explains, “The contagion window for the flu can be a bit tricky. You are most contagious for the first 3 to 4 days after you start feeling sick. However, you can start being contagious 24 hours before you even feel any symptoms, making the flu very easy to spread. And, you can still be contagious for up to a week after getting sick, possibly longer for those who have a weakened immune system. To prevent spreading the illness, a good rule of thumb is to stay at home until your fever has been gone, without the help of medication, for at least 24 hours.”

Stage : Clinical Latency

In this stage, the virus still multiplies, but at very low levels. People in this stage may not feel sick or have any symptoms. This stage is also called chronic HIV infection.

Without HIV treatment, people can stay in this stage for 10 or 15 years, but some move through this stage faster.

If you take HIV medicine exactly as prescribed and get and keep an undetectable viral load, you can live and long and healthy life and will not transmit HIV to your HIV-negative partners through sex.

But if your viral load is detectable, you can transmit HIV during this stage, even when you have no symptoms. Its important to see your health care provider regularly to get your viral load checked.

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How Long Can I Spread The Flu For

The flu is contagious from the day before symptoms start to five to seven days after becoming sick. The incubation period of the flu, or how long it can take to develop symptoms after exposure and infection, is about one to four days. One reason the flu spreads so quickly is that someone can be contagious and not show signs of being sick until a few days after catching the flu virus.

The contagious periods of the flu, common cold, and stomach bug are very similar. With the common cold, you can become contagious one to two days before symptoms start, and you can remain contagious for up to two weeks. The same is true for the stomach bug, and you wont stop being contagious for several days after youve completely recovered. As far as the coronavirus is concerned, Harvard Health reports that COVID-19 can be contagious 48 to 72 hours before the first onset of symptoms. The contagious period ends about 10 days after symptoms resolve. Some infectious disease experts still recommend 14 days of isolation.

Can You Get Hiv From Kissing

Since HIV is not spread through spit, kissing is not a common way to get infected. In certain situations where other body fluids are shared, such as if both people have open sores in their mouths or bleeding gums, there is a chance you could get HIV from deep, open-mouthed kissing.

You also dont get HIV from:

Touching or hugging someone who has HIV/AIDS.
Public bathrooms or swimming pools.
Sharing cups, utensils or telephones with someone who has HIV/AIDS.
Donating blood.

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Can The Same Home Remedies And Medicine Be Used For Both Cold And Flu

There is no cure for a cold, the CDC says it will get better on its own. But prescription antiviral drugs may help with the flu, especially when taken within two days of the onset of symptoms. People with health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease that put them at at high risk for flu complications should seek treatment right away.

As for home remedies, there is evidence that zinc, taken by mouth in the form of lozenges, tablets, or syrups, can help reduce the length of colds if taken within 24 hours of the onset of symptoms, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health . The NCCIH adds that zinc can cause nausea and gastrointestinal issues, and that it can interact with other medication, such as antibiotics.

There is no strong scientific evidence that any natural product can cure the flu, says the NCCIH.

Acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen are effective treatments for fever and aches caused by either a cold or the flu. People with either illness should also be sure to rest and drink plenty of fluids.

Additional reporting by Pamela Kaufman.

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What Are Some Common Flu Symptoms

How to Know if You Have the Flu: Flu Symptoms

Even if youve had the flu before, its not always easy to identify flu symptoms. Flu and cold can present themselves in similar ways. With both cold and flu, you may experience cough, stuffy nose, and sore throat.3 However, cold symptoms are usually milder than flu symptoms and come with a more gradual onset.3 In addition, fever usually accompanies the flu virus, while fever is rare with colds.3

Here are some other symptoms of the flu:

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When Should I Seek Medical Treatment

Children most likely to need medical treatment from their doctor for influenza infection are those who are very young or have serious medical conditions . If you think your child needs medical treatment, call your pediatricians office first. Your doctor may want to speak with you over the phone and recommend treatments rather than have you come into the office, where your child can infect other people.

Who Needs A Flu Vaccine

Influenza, commonly referred to as the ‘flu’, is a severe respiratory illness that is easily spread and can lead to severe complications, even death. Each year in the U.S. on average, influenza and its related complications result in approximately 226,000 hospitalizations and nearly 24,000 deaths. Combined with pneumonia, influenza is the nation’s eighth leading cause of death. You can help avoid getting and spreading influenza by getting vaccinated each year.

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The Flu Is Killing People This Year Here’s The Most Common Symptoms

Flu season is here and healthcare workers are already feeling the strain. According to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “so far this season, there have been at least 2.8 million illnesses, 23,000 hospitalizations, and 1,300 deaths from flu.” In addition, hospitalization rates are up. CNBC reports. “Flu hospitalizations have surged to a decade high in the U.S. with the Southeast the hardest region right now. Five out every 100,000 people in the U.S. were hospitalized with the flu during the week ending Nov. 5, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s the highest hospitalization rate this early in the flu season since 2010, more than 10 years ago.”

Brad Hutton, M.P.H.Public Health Consultant Infectious Disease Epidemiologist with Hutton Health Consulting tells us, “Our healthcare system, especially hospitals and nursing homes, is experiencing pipeline workforce shortages that have been greatly worsened and accelerated by the pandemic. An early flu season, increased hospitalizations due to respiratory syncytial virus that began in the spring, and continued COVID-19 disease are causing concerns of shortages of hospital beds in most regions of the U.S., especially in pediatric units which were already limited. On November 4th, the CDC issued a Health Advisory urging clinicians across the U.S. to promote COVID-19 and influenza vaccination and to use antivirals to help tamp down the surge.”

Flu Or Food Poisoning

Is Strep Throat Contagious? How Long Is Strep Contagious?

There are many types of viruses, and some can affect the digestive system. People sometimes call this stomach flu. This illness is different from influenza, which is a respiratory disease.

The most common cause of stomach flu is the norovirus, which enters the body through contaminated food or drink. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Food poisoning causes similar symptoms.

Is it a stomach virus or food poisoning? Find out here.

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When Does The Flu Become Contagious

Once you have the influenza virus, you can spread it to other people about a day before you first notice symptoms.

Remember, the average incubation period for the flu is about two days. So, if you come into contact with virus on Saturday morning, you can potentially start spreading it to others by Sunday evening. And by Monday afternoon, youll likely start feeling the dreaded body aches that come with the flu.

Viral shedding refers to the release of the virus from your body into your surrounding environment. It tends to peak during your first day experiencing symptoms. This means youre usually most contagious on this day. Once you develop symptoms, youll still be contagious for another five to seven days .

Children, older adults, and those with a weakened immune system may be contagious for a longer period of time.

Its often hard to know when you have the flu coming on. Unlike the symptoms of the common cold, which develop gradually, the symptoms of the flu often come on suddenly.

The common symptoms of the flu can include:

What Should I Do If I Think I Could Have Hiv

Only an HIV test can tell you whether you have HIV.

Try not to guess based on any symptoms you may or may not have, or on the HIV status of a person you have had sex with.

If you test, tell whoever tests you if youve recently taken risks or had symptoms similar to seroconversion illness, as this will affect the kind of HIV test you should have.

To be on the safe side, and until you know your test result, use condoms to protect anyone you have sex with.

You can also call THT Direct on 0808 802 1221.

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When To See Your Gp

Consider visiting your GP if:

you’re 65 years of age or over
you’re pregnant
you have a long-term medical condition such as diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, kidney disease or a neurological disease
you have a weakened immune system for example because you’re having chemotherapy or have HIV
you develop chest pain, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing or start coughing up blood
your symptoms are getting worse over time or haven’t improved after a week

In these situations, you may need medication to treat or prevent complications of flu. Your GP may recommend taking antiviral medicine to reduce your symptoms and help you recover more quickly.

Know When To Take Your Child To The Emergency Room For The Flu

Know the common symptoms of flu

Parents often wonder when they should worry about flu symptoms in their child. Influenza is a serious illness that can lead to complications sometimes, especially in infants and toddlers. Go to your nearest emergency room if your child:

Experienced flu-like symptoms that improved but then returned worse
Is less than 3 months old and has a fever of above 100.4° Fahrenheit
Is between 3 months old and 3 years old, has a fever of above 100.4° Fahrenheit, and is showing signs of dehydration
Has a fever and unusual breathing
Has a fever with rash
Has chest pain or pressure
Has sudden dizziness or confusion
Has severe or persistent vomiting
Has skin or lips that have turned gray or blue
Is extremely irritable
Is not eating or drinking
Not waking up or interacting with you

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How Long Does The Flu Typically Last

According to the CDC, the flu can really wreak havoc on you, knocking you off our feet and straight into bed. The best way to prevent it is by getting the flu vaccine each year. But what if you do happen to catch it? How long does the flu last? What are the signs and flu symptoms you can expect? Get all your answers right here. .

What is influenza, aka the flu?

Influenza, commonly known as the flu, is a contagious respiratory illness caused by viruses that infect the nose, throat, and lungs. It can range from mild toâ¯severe. When ill with the flu, people often feel some of these flu symptoms:

Fever or feeling feverish/chills

How does the flu spread?

Experts believe that influenza usually spreads through droplets that are created when those with the flu cough, sneeze, or talkâspecifically, when these droplets land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby. Sometimes a person can even catch the flu by touching a surface or object that has the flu virus on it, and then afterward touching their own mouth, eyes, or nose.

How long does the flu last?

As harsh as the flu can be, the good news is that most people feel much better within one to two weeks.

Most healthy adults become contagious the day before symptoms develop . They remain infectious for up to five to seven days after symptoms appear. However, children and those with weakened immune systems may be contagious for an even longer period.

How can I get some relief from flu symptoms?

Heres How Long Flu Shot Side Effects Last If You Experience Them At All

Friendly reminder: Its time to get your annual flu vaccine if you havent already. Flu season is already ramping up, and experts are expecting an especially rough fall and winter, so getting your shot before the end of October is pretty darn important. There are plenty of precautions that can help protect you from the fluwashing your hands frequently and masking up, to name a couplebut the vaccine is a tool that should top your list.

Like any vaccine though, the flu shot does come with potential side effectsand this is usually a good thing. Its a strong sign that your immune system is responding to the vaccine and building up those all-important, infection-fighting antibodies, as SELF previously reported.

But how long do flu shot side effects last? Heres what you should know so you can plan ahead, just in case you do end up feeling a bit crummy after your appointment.

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What To Expect Next

If you find out you are HIV-positive, its important to keep in mind the condition is treatable. Antiretroviral therapy is recommended for all people with HIV, regardless of how long theyve had the virus or how healthy they are. It works by lowering the amount of virus in the body to very low levels. This treatment can also slow the progression of the infection and protect the immune system.

Taking ART medications is vital to slowing the progression of HIV. Left untreated, HIV will progress to the second stage. During this stage, people may experience no symptoms at all. If no treatment is administered, an individual can stay in this stage for 10 to 15 years.

For people who have no symptoms of an acute HIV infection, it takes an average of seven years to proceed to AIDS.