You don't know how good your immune system is or many of your underlying health issues until you get a virus.
I will say it again people think they have had the flu when its just been a cold,when you get the flu you will know.
What Are the Stages of the Flu?
Flu symptoms usually start within one to four days after infection. Unlike a common cold, the effects of an
influenza virus infection can come on very suddenly. (2)
The first signs of the flu are often
a fever or chills, accompanied by headache, sore throat, dry cough, runny nose, muscle aches, and fatigue. (2)
As the illness progresses, a person may have warm, flushed skin, watery or bloodshot eyes, a severe cough that produces
phlegm, and nasal congestion. Nausea and vomiting may also occur, especially among children, according to the Merck Manual. (
4)
A bout of the flu typically lasts for several days or occasionally weeks, with severe symptoms subsiding in two to three days. However, weakness, fatigue, dry cough, and a reduced ability to exercise can linger for six to eight weeks. (4)
How Long Is the Flu Contagious?
A 2013 survey conducted by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases revealed that 41 percent of people think the flu is only contagious after symptoms start. (
5) That’s not true.
An adult infected with influenza may be contagious from one day before symptoms start until five to seven days after becoming sick. Children may continue to be contagious for longer than seven days, according to the CDC. (2)
Staying home until your contagious period has likely passed will help you avoid passing germs on to other people.
Other simple steps can keep you from spreading infection to others or picking up a virus from other people around you at school, work, or at home.
“It’s really basic public health practices,” says
Catherine Troisi, PhD, an associate professor in the divisions of management, policy, and community health and epidemiology at the University of Texas School of Public Health in Houston. “You should
wash your hands, stay home if you’re sick, get enough sleep, and eat well.”
