# Am I no longer contagious?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-no-longer-contagious/228445>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 10, 2004, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-no-longer-contagious/228445 "2004-02-10T14:32:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\
**Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-no-longer-contagious/228445/1 "2004-02-10T14:32:32Z")

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So I’ve been sick with cold/flu for more than a week. My friends came over to see my brand spanking new 3-month old human named Jaiden. He’s always with my wife, since I’ve been sick. They want to take a picture of me holding him. I tell them that I’d rather not since I’m sick and don’t want to infect him. They insist and say that I’m no longer contagious.

“How do you know?”, I ask.

One of them (a medical professional, mind you) says: “Duh, it’s common knowledge that you’re only contagious on the first day or two of a cold or flu. Really, you’re most contagious before your own symptoms even appear. And once you have the full blown illness, it’s not possible to spread it to anyone else.”

Of course, bring the cynic I am, I don’t believe them. Can someone confirm or debunk this? And cites either way would be helpful. Thanks in advance.

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**Author:** ![hauss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5fc32e/32.png) [@hauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hauss)\
**Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-no-longer-contagious/228445/2 "2004-02-10T17:53:03Z")

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> **[How to treat the common cold](https://www.netdoctor.co.uk/conditions/infections/a148/cold-common-cold/)**
>
> There is no cure for the common cold, but there are a number of things you can do to ease symptoms.

> [@](#):
>
> A person is contagious from the day before the illness breaks out until one to three days after they feel better.

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**Author:** ![hauss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5fc32e/32.png) [@hauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hauss)\
**Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-no-longer-contagious/228445/3 "2004-02-10T17:54:38Z")

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[http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mcold.html](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mcold.html)

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**Author:** ![Yeah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/dbc845/32.png) [@Yeah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeah)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2004, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-no-longer-contagious/228445/4 "2004-02-11T01:46:48Z")

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How do you know it’s a cold or the flu? What if you have a disease that remains communicable well into the symptomatic period? I think you are being prudent.