On this page
Are Upper Respiratory Infections Contagious?
Yes, an upper respiratory infection is usually contagious.
A URI, also called an upper respiratory tract infection, affects your nose, throat, and sinuses. The common cold, flu, RSV, and COVID-19 are examples. Because these illnesses are usually viral, they can spread from person to person.
Some URIs are bacterial, like strep throat. Those are contagious too until treated by a doctor. Allergy symptoms are not infections, so they are not contagious.
Key takeaway: assume a URI is contagious and use precautions until you are clearly improving.
How Long Is an Upper Respiratory Infection Contagious?
The contagious period for an upper respiratory infection is usually about 3 to 10 days.
Here’s what to know:
- Most contagious: the first 2–3 days of symptoms.
- It can spread 1–2 days before symptoms start.
- Risk drops once you are clearly improving and have been fever-free for 24 hours without medicine.
- Some people, like young children, older adults, and people with asthma, COPD, or weakened immune systems, can shed virus longer (in some cases, up to two weeks).
- Strep throat (bacterial) can be contagious for weeks if untreated. After 24 hours on antibiotics as prescribed, spread usually falls sharply.
Simple rule: treat the first few days as high-risk, then keep light precautions until you are better.
When Should You Stay Home and When Can You Return to Work or School?
Stay home if you have a fever, a strong cough, or feel wiped out. The first few days are when you’re most contagious.
You can usually return when both are true:
- You have been fever-free for 24 hours without fever medicine, and
- Your symptoms are clearly improving.
After you return, wear a mask and be extra careful for about 5 more days, especially if you’ll be close to others. Wash hands often and keep a bit of distance if you’re still coughing.
If someone at home is high risk (like an older adult, a baby, or someone with heart or lung disease or a weak immune system), add extra caution and space for a few more days.
Key takeaway: stay home for the first few days and until you’ve been fever-free for 24 hours, then return with a mask and good hand hygiene.
How to Prevent Spreading an Upper Respiratory Infection
These simple steps can lower the chance you pass it on:
| Action | What to do | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Wash hands | Use soap and water for 20 seconds (or hand sanitizer if soap isn’t available). | Removes germs picked up from surfaces. |
| Cover coughs and sneezes | Use a tissue or your elbow, then throw tissues away. | Blocks respiratory droplets from reaching others. |
| Wear a mask | Use a well-fitted mask when around others, especially in close or crowded spaces. | Reduces droplets you breathe out and others breathe in. |
| Don’t share items | Avoid sharing cups, utensils, towels, or pillows while you’re sick. | Lowers contact spread. |
| Disinfect surfaces | Clean doorknobs, phones, keyboards, remotes, and counters daily. | Removes germs from high-touch spots. |
| Give people space | Rest in a separate room if you can, especially if you live with high-risk family members. | Limits close-range exposure. |
| Improve airflow | Open a window or use an air cleaner to refresh indoor air. | Dilutes indoor virus particles. |
| Vaccines | Stay up to date on flu and COVID-19 vaccines as recommended by public health guidelines. | Helps prevent future illness and spread. |
Bottom line: hand washing, masking when sick, and cleaning shared surfaces cut most household spread.
Managing Symptoms and Recovery at Home
Most viral URIs do not need antibiotics. They improve with time and simple care.
What helps:
- Rest and fluids. Sleep more and sip water, tea, or broth to thin mucus.
- Over-the-counter relief. Over-the-counter medicines like acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help reduce fever and aches. Consider saline nasal spray for stuffiness. Always follow the label, and ask your doctor about children’s dosing.
- Moist air. Run a cool-mist humidifier or take a steamy shower to soothe airways.
- Soothe the throat. Gargling warm salt water and, for those over age 1, a small spoon of honey can help soothe a sore throat and cough.
- Elevate at night. Extra pillows can ease postnasal drip and coughing.
Nebulizer option: If you have heavy chest congestion or wheezing, your doctor might recommend a nebulizer to deliver medicine or saline into your airways. A portable mesh nebulizer such as the TruNeb™ portable mesh nebulizer can deliver a fine mist you inhale at home. Some providers use solutions like TruNeb 3% hypertonic saline or TruNeb 7% hypertonic saline to help thin thick mucus and support airway clearance.
⚠️ Safety note: Talk to your doctor before trying a new medication or nebulized hypertonic saline. Don’t start, stop, or change prescription treatments on your own. ⚠️ If you’re shopping for devices, don’t confuse steam inhalers with nebulizers—steam devices heat water for warm mist and aren’t meant for breathing medications.
When to See a Doctor
Frequently Asked Questions
Tap or click a question below to see the answer:
Often, yes. URI is a broad term for infections in the nose, sinuses, and throat. The common cold is the most common URI.
Yes. People can spread virus 1–2 days before symptoms start, so hand hygiene and cough etiquette are still important.
Very common. Adults get about 2–3 colds a year on average. Children get even more.
COVID-19 can affect the upper airway and look like a cold, but it can also affect the lungs and has specific testing and guidance.
Allergies are not infections, so they aren’t contagious. Allergy symptoms usually include itchy eyes, sneezing, and a clear runny nose without a fever.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and isn’t a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always talk to your doctor about your symptoms and before starting or changing any treatment.
