Sick With A Cold Or Flu? Here's How Long You're Contagious For.

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The Influenza

Influenza: Commonly referred to as the flu, the influenza virus affects every person differently, and its symptoms can be mild to life-threatening. When a person becomes infected with the virus, it releases additional viral cells that want to spread and infect others. This is known as "viral shedding," and when these cells reach the open environment (usually from mixing with mucus and saliva), that's how they spread. Like the common cold, the flu virus affects millions of people each year.

- Most common symptoms include: fever, sore throat, runny nose, muscle or body aches and pains, chills, headaches, cough, fatigue