I’m not sure this would apply to every case of herpes and to get the medication I’m going to mention means getting a doctor’s prescription, but many years ago,
Is this the column you are referring to?
I thought it was this topic.
Is there a difference between infection and contagion? The terms seem to be used interchangeably in the article, but I was under the impression that infection is through the air and contagion is through touch.
Any confirmation on that?
“Infectious” means due to a microscopic biological agent, an infection.
“Contagious” means able to pass from person to person.
Contagious can be via air or via physical contact or via blood/fluid transmission. Those are different forms of passing along.
Contagion is how you get the infection. 
In any case, the OP isn’t complete. Who knows what the issue is?