People who have the flu spread it to others by sharing virus-containing droplets when they cough, sneeze or even talk. Kids and adults with weak immune systems can continue to shed the virus for up to seven days after they show symptoms, according to the CDC.
Tamiflu (oseltamivir) shortens the duration of flu symptoms, but it won’t stop you from spreading the virus. Here’s how long you’ll be contagious with the flu after taking Tamiflu.
Symptoms begin within 24 hours
Most people are familiar with symptoms of the flu, the best prevention tactics (flu shots, resting), and possible remedies (Tamiflu). But what is less well-known is the incubation period for the flu.
Generally, you become contagious for the flu starting one day before your first symptoms appear and remain so up to seven days after the onset of those symptoms. Children and people with weak immune systems can be contagious even longer.
The good news is that antiviral medications like oseltamivir (better known as Tamiflu) can help shorten the incubation period for the flu and reduce the duration and severity of symptoms. However, you should not return to work or school until you are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil) or acetaminophen (Tylenol). Research has shown that oseltamivir taken within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms decreases the amount of time a person sheds the virus, but does not stop viral shedding completely.
Symptoms last for 3 to 4 days
You are most contagious in the first three to four days after you start feeling sick, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). During this time, you’re spreading the flu virus through airborne droplets created when you cough or sneeze. These droplets can also land in the mouths or noses of people nearby.
Influenza spreads mainly through respiratory droplets, but can also spread when you touch something that has the flu virus on it and then touch your eyes, nose, or mouth, says a May 2010 article in the “Journal of Infectious Disease.” The most active period of contagion for the flu occurs about one day before symptoms appear.
Taking the antiviral medication oseltamivir (Tamiflu) can shorten your infectivity by 1 to 2 days, according to studies. But it won’t stop you from shedding the virus, which can continue to infect others for up to a week after you show symptoms. That’s why you need to stay at home until your fever breaks on its own without the help of a fever-reducing medicine.
Symptoms last for 7 to 10 days
The flu is very contagious and people are most likely to pass on the virus in the first three days after they start having symptoms, according to the CDC. People can also spread the virus even before they get sick, during what is called the incubation period.
Healthy adults can be contagious for a day before their symptoms start and for up to seven days after they develop them, although kids and people with weakened immune systems may continue to be contagious longer. To minimize the spread of the disease, people with the flu should stay at home and avoid sharing utensils, cups, plates, towels, or washcloths. They should also cough into a tissue or use hand sanitizer often.
Taking flu medication such as oseltamivir (Tamiflu) can help curb symptoms and shorten the time they’re contagious, Doshi says. The oral antiviral drug interferes with the proteins that the influenza virus uses to reproduce, giving the body’s natural defenses a chance to destroy it.
Symptoms go away on their own
The flu tends to come on suddenly. As a result, you’re contagious from the day before your symptoms begin, and you’ll stay contagious for up to seven days after you start showing signs of the illness. This is known as the incubation period, and it’s why you should be careful around people while you’re sick.
If you’re taking antiviral medication like Tamiflu (oseltamivir phosphate), your symptoms may start to ease up within a day. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend staying home until you’re fever-free for 24 hours without the help of ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
Tamiflu interferes with the proteins that the virus uses to reproduce, helping your body’s immune system fight it off. It doesn’t shorten how long you’re contagious with the flu, but it can cut a few days off the duration of your illness and decrease the severity of symptoms. This is why doctors often prescribe it to people at risk of serious complications from the flu, such as hospitalization or pneumonia.