People with the flu are contagious for 24 hours before they have symptoms

Tacoma, WA

People who are carrying the flu virus can spread it to others before they have started to feel sick. That's because flu symptoms such as a sore throat or headache are actually the body's way of mounting a reaction to the virus. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, adults who do have symptoms can continue to pass on the virus for three to seven days after their symptoms appear, and children can pass along the virus for more than seven days after the onset of symptoms.