What's the contagious period for a cold from one person to another?
Top 10 facts about the world. A cold is an upper respiratory infection caused by a virus called rhinovirus. The common cold incubation period varies greatly from one person to the next. Symptoms can appear in just a few hours or as long as 10 days after exposure.The average incubation period is one to three days.he incubation period for a common cold depends on the kind of virus it's caused by. The incubation period is at least two days and up to a week or two weeks depending on the cause. The contagious period for a cold lasts about three to four days into the illness. As a general rule, people with a cold are most contagious about three days after their initial exposure to the virus.For more information on colds, influenza and related topics, check out the links on the next page.Print.f you think about how a virus works, it makes sense that we're most contagious when our symptoms are at their worst. Viruses like influenza and those that cause the common cold (there are a couple of hundred of them) have an incubation period once they get into your body. Most experts agree that adults with a cold or the flu start being contagious about a day before they start experiencing symptoms. For the flu, the contagious period then lasts five to seven days into the illness.f you think about how a virus works, it makes sense that we're most contagious when our symptoms are at their worst. Viruses like influenza and those that cause the common cold (there are a couple of hundred of them) have an incubation period once they get into your body. First, scientists involved with common cold research do not know exactly how long a person with a cold is contagious. Based on previous studies, their best guess is that a person becomes contagious about two to three days before developing the usual symptoms of a cold.Second, this contagious period can last until the person no longer shows any symptoms.So in theory, a person is contagious for about two weeks. (Click Cold Symptoms to read about the symptoms of the common cold or Cold and Flu Symptoms to learn the difference between a cold and the flu.).Let's assume you're the one with the cold.During the two-week period when you're contagious, research indicates that you'll be most likely to transmit the cold virus when you're experiencing cold symptoms. The period when you're most contagious is when your symptoms are at their worst -- day 2 to day 4 of the cold.et's assume you're the one with the cold. During the two-week period when you're contagious, research indicates that you'll be most likely to transmit the cold virus when you're experiencing cold symptoms. The period when you're most contagious is when your symptoms are at their worst -- day 2 to day 4 of the cold. In theory, the contagious period for pneumonia lasts about two weeks, although a person tends to be most contagious when symptoms are at their worst -- which is usually around day two to four of the infection. A person with either viral or bacterial pneumonia is contagious.However, that person's germs are more likely to cause an upper respiratory infection (such as the common cold or the flu) in another person than pneumonia.n theory, the contagious period for pneumonia lasts about two weeks, although a person tends to be most contagious when symptoms are at their worst -- which is usually around day two to four of the infection. A person with either viral or bacterial pneumonia is contagious. Three weeks is too long as an incubation period for a common cold. The incubation period is usually a few days in most people, but it can be up to a week. If you had said two weeks, then I would have said maybe, but I doubt that you picked up the cold from your friend.he incubation period for a common cold depends on the kind of virus it's caused by. The incubation period is at least two days and up to a week or two weeks depending on the cause. The flu is contagious a day before and five days to a week after its onset. Young children, people over 65, those with compromised immune systems, and people with a terminal illness are at risk of death from the flu.Pregnant women are also at greater risk. The flu can also cause premature birth.he flu is contagious a day before and five days to a week after its onset. Young children, people over 65, those with compromised immune systems, and people with a terminal illness are at risk of death from the flu. Pregnant women are also at greater risk. Fever, chills, fatigue, body aches, sore throat, and headache are common symptoms of flu. Not everyone with flu will have a fever. The flu can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death.The flu is different from a cold.The flu usually comes on suddenly.hildren may pass the virus for longer than 7 days. Symptoms start 1 to 4 days after the virus enters the body. Information about how long a person is contagious is available at How Flu Spreads. The contagious period — the time during which a sick person can give the illness to others — is slightly different for each virus. 1  Norovirus. 2  With norovirus — the most common cause of viral gastroenteritis in adults and children — you're contagious from the moment you begin to feel ill.ou can be contagious from a few days up to two weeks or more, depending on which virus is causing your stomach flu (gastroenteritis). The incubation period for a common cold depends on the kind of virus it's caused by. The incubation period is at least two days and up to a week or two weeks depending on the cause.he incubation period for a common cold depends on the kind of virus it's caused by. The incubation period is at least two days and up to a week or two weeks depending on the cause.
About two to three days before developing the usual symptoms of a cold.