How Long Is the Flu Contagious, and How Long Should I Stay Home?

Prevention reports that after being practically non-existent last year, the flu is slowly coming back across the country. Things like taking oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and being vaccinated against the flu should also shorten the amount of time you’re sick—and infectious, says Thomas Russo, professor and chief of infectious disease at the Jacobs School. Still, he says, “there’s not a lot of literature on this. I like to consider people infectious up to seven days, just to be safe.” The article was reposted on Yahoo! News, MSN and elsewhere.