People recovering from influenza tend to rejoin their households at almost the exact point their bodies are releasing the most virus. An analysis led by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found influenza RNA shedding peaked a median of four days after symptoms began, which for many patients is the stretch when aches fade, and normal life starts to feel overdue.
The study, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, also found isolation is largely theoretical inside the home. Only 21 percent of participants reported separating from household members at any point, and among those who did, the mean was two days. Fewer than 1 percent stayed apart from household members for the full recommended period.
