Can you get the flu from sleeping next to someone
8 Ways to Keep the Flu From Spreading Through Your Household
3. Designate a Caregiver
If a small child, elderly person, or someone else who needs to be cared for has flu, pick one person for the job. That will limit the number of people who come in contact with the virus and cut the risk of it spreading.
Whoever the designated caregiver turns out to be, it’s important they take every precaution to protect themselves — even if they’ve already had the flu. “I’ve been surprised by the number of people who catch the flu more than once in a season,” says Dr. Purdy.
4. Gear Up
As with the COVID virus, one of most effective ways to prevent the spread of influenza is by wearing a mask — preferably an N95 mask, advises Michael Roizen, MD, chief wellness officer emeritus at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. That goes for anyone who is sick, to keep their viral droplets out of the air, and for those who are well, to shield themselves.
If you’re caring for a child or someone else who has flu, slipping on disposable gloves is a good idea too, as it will lower the risk of picking up the virus with your fingers and then touching your eyes, mouth, or nose.
5. Clear the Air
Proper ventilat
All About the Flu (Influenza)
What Is the Flu?
The flu is an infection of the respiratory tract (nose, throat, and lungs). It's caused by a virus that spreads easily from person to person. Flu viruses usually cause the most illness during the colder months of the year. In the United States, flu season is from October to May.
What Are the Signs & Symptoms of the Flu?
When people have the flu, they usually feel worse than they do with a cold. Most people start to feel sick about 2 days after they come in contact with the flu virus. They might have:
Babies with the flu also may suddenly seem fussy or just "not look right."
What Causes the Flu?
The flu gets its name from the virus that causes it — the influenza virus. It spreads when people cough or sneeze out droplets that are infected with the virus and other people breathe them in. The droplets also can land on things like doorknobs or shopping carts, infecting people who touch them.
Is the Flu Contagious?
The flu is very contagious. People can spread it from a day before they feel sick until their symptoms are gone. This is about 1 week for adults, but it can be longer for young kids.
The flu usually happens i
Even when your fever goes away, you still can spread the flu for about 24 hours
The flu is contagious for about 24 hours after your fever breaks. Here’s what you need to know about avoiding the spread of the flu and when you’re contagious.
Published: January 24, 2025 | Updated: February 18, 2025
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Influenza, or flu, is an upper respiratory infection caused by a virus. It affects the nose, lungs and throat. This influenza is not the same as a stomach flu, which may cause vomiting, nausea and diarrhea.
Most people recover on their own from influenza. Sometimes, the flu and its complications can be deadly. There is a flu vaccination, which can reduce your risk of getting the flu and the severity of flu symptoms.
You are contagious for a period of second around your illness. Understanding when flu is contagious is significant to stop the spread of seasonal flu.
Understanding the flu virus
Flu is contagious via small droplets from your respiratory system that are expelled when you say, cough or sneeze. These respiratory droplets can land in someone’s mouth, nose or eyes. In some cases, it spreads when someone touches a
Flu - symptoms, diagnosis and treatment
Flu is an infection caused by a virus. The virus infects your lungs and upper airways.
Flu will often get better on its own, but it can make some people seriously ill. It's important to get the flu vaccine if you're advised to.
Check if you have flu
Flu symptoms come on very quickly and can include:
- a sudden high temperature of 38 degrees or above
- aches and pains
- feeling tired or exhausted
- a dry cough
- a sore throat
- a headache
- difficulty sleeping
- loss of appetite
- diarrhoea or tummy pain
- feeling sick and being sick
The symptoms of flu are similar for children. But they can also get a pain in their ear and seem to be less active.
Differences between cold and flu
Cold and flu symptoms are similar, but flu tends to be more severe.
| Cold | Flu |
|---|---|
| Cold Appears gradually | Flu Appears quickly within a few hours |
| Cold Mainly affects your nose and throat | Flu Affects more than just your nose and throat |
| Cold Makes you feel unwell, but you can carry on as normal (for example, go to work) | Flu Makes you feel exhausted and too unwell to carry on as normal |
It could be COVID-19
Flu and COVID-19 can be very s
Flu
Symptoms of flu
Flu symptoms come on very quickly and can include:
- a sudden high temperature
- an aching body
- feeling tired or exhausted
- a dry cough
- a sore throat
- a headache
- difficulty sleeping
- loss of appetite
- diarrhoea or tummy pain
- feeling sick and being sick
The symptoms are similar for children, but they can also get pain in their ear and appear less active.
How to treat flu yourself
If you have flu, there are some things you can do to help get better more quickly.
Do
rest and sleep
keep warm
take paracetamol or ibuprofen to lower your temperature and treat aches and pains
give paracetamol or ibuprofen to your child if they're distressed or uncomfortable – check the packaging or leaflet to make sure the medicine is suitable for your child, or speak to a pharmacist or GP if you're not sure
drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration (your pee should be light yellow or clear)
A pharmacist can help with flu
A pharmacist can give treatment advice and recommend flu remedies.
Do not take paracetamol and flu remedies that contain paracetamol at the same time as it's easy to take more than the recommended dose.
Find a pharmacy