Flu

[Anna Peggs]

I have many friends and I enjoy their company when they come to visit.

All of them know that they should not visit if they are feeling unwell or if they have a cold. But I am getting concerned about swine flu because it is increasing over the winter months. I know that the jab is supposed to protect us but I still do not want to come into contact with it. How long is the incubation period for this flu? It is as well to know so that I can tell people how long to keep away if they think the have come into contact with someone who has swine flu.

[Dr. P Theocharous]

Dear Anna,

Hope all is well with you, and many apologies for the delayed response.

According to the Health Protection Agency, the incubation period for swine flu (the time between infection and appearance of symptoms) can be up to seven days, but it is most likely to be between two and five days. But it is currently too early to be able to provide details on virus characteristics, including incubation period, with total certainty.

In addition, people are most infectious soon after they develop symptoms. They can continue to shed (spread) the virus (for example, in coughs and sneezes) for up to five days (seven days in children). People become less infectious as their symptoms subside, and once their symptoms are gone they are no longer considered infectious to others.

Hope that this is helpful.

The Doctor.