How long is someone contagious with H1N1?

[citymama]

I'm supposed to travel to an all-staff retreat next week, where I will be cloistered with 25 co-workers from around the country. One of my colleagues has H1N1 - she sounds really sick and has been on Tamiflu since yesterday. We've all asked that she not attend the retreat. She says she'll be fine to travel by Monday and is planning to be there. She is absolutely insistent - she will be flying to this location, so potentially exposing people she travels with, and then all of us. She insists she will not be contagious.

I am going to try and get the H1N1 shot today (Thursday). But I'll be encountering this person on Tuesday, about a week after she was diagnosed. Could she still be contagious? I don't think I'll have the antibodies by then. I'm appalled. I haven't told work I'm pregnant, but if she is definitely going to be there, I am not. Is this unreasonable? Could she no longer be contagious by then?

[bubbaray]

Here, the gov't is asking sick people not to travel (duh). They are saying that people are contagious for 7-10 days.

The US CDC (http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/sick.htm) says stay home until 24 hrs after the fever breaks:

How long should I stay home if I’m sick?
CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours (http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/guidance/exclusion.htm) after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other things you have to do and no one else can do for you. (Your fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine, such as Tylenol®.) You should stay home from work, school, travel, shopping, social events, and public gatherings.

If I were you, I wouldn't go if the sick coworker goes. JMHO.

This is what the Canadian gov't (http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/alert-alerte/h1n1/fs-fr_h1n1-eng.php)is saying:

Contagiousness

More research is being done on how long a person can be infectious (be able to spread the virus to others), but it is believed that this period is for one day before the onset of symptoms and continues for approximately seven days after symptoms have started.The time it takes between being infected and experiencing symptoms is between two and seven days.

[mominmarch]

I got the vax shot a week ago and the nurse who gave it to me, in a drs office, told me that I would start being immune that very day, specifically "if you got exposed to the flu later today, you would likely get a very mild case of it... and by tomorrow or the next day, you would likely be fully immune". My daughter and our nanny also got shots. Since that week, all of us have exposed in close situations (close coworker came down with it, kids in my daughter's class, other kids that our nanny babysits for). None of us have any symptoms. So while it could just be luck, it also might be that the vaccine really starts working very soon as the nurse suggested.

[wendibird22]

I've read it can take 8-10 days for full immunity to kick in after the vax.

Hmm...I don't know what I'd do in your position especially being pregnant. I guess I'd probably go, avoid this lady like the plague, and put a container of hand sanitizer right in front of me at all times. I guess I'd figure that I'm bound to come in contact with lots of people with colds, flu, etc just in day to day stuff like grocery shopping who I don't know are sick. So I'd take all the same precautions I would on a regular day.

[brittone2]

I've been reading the 7-8 days or longer as well. Two of DH's coworkers in his lab have had H1N1. Both returned while still coughing, which from what I've read makes it more likely they'll spread it to others. I am fairly sure the 2nd person caught it from the first person as their desks are basically adjoining and the 2nd person got sick a few days after the first returned to work (still coughing).

DH strongly encouraged the 2nd woman who got it to stay home for a few more days. She said she still felt terrible and DH said she looked like she felt terrible. She did end up going home and staying home for another 2 days or so thankfully.

I would consider taking an N-95 mask along to use if you absolutely end up having to be nearby her for work purposes, mainly if she's still coughing, etc. Otherwise I would probably not use it, but if you are forced to be in close proximity, I might go that route even if I felt like an idiot.

Do you take D3?

[babybunny]

My work medical department considers staff still contagious if they are still coughing even if their fever broke a day or two before.

[citymama]

Do you take D3?

What's that?

[brittone2]

What's that?


Vitamin D3. Some research out there says it may help prevent flu (I mean, I'm not saying it is a miracle drug, but sooooo many people are deficient anyway, flu or not). I've been supplementing with 2000-2400IU for a long time now and my midwives tested me in August (coming off of summer in the sunny southeast). My levels were still very lowish end of normal. They said most of their moms are deficient, and even those supplementing (like me) have been coming back lower end of normal at best. I've been wanting to get my level tested for a long time and was thrilled they are finally testing routinely.

[gatorsmom]

My work medical department considers staff still contagious if they are still coughing even if their fever broke a day or two before.

I've heard that as long as you are still coughing, even after the fever has broke, then you are contagious. If I were you, I"d go but I"d wear mask. AND I"d carry hand sanitizer in my pocket. If you decide to start telling people you are pregnant, then I'd give that as the reason for the mask, certainly. If you aren't revealing your pregnancy, then I"d simply explain to others that your immune system is weakened and it's important that you not be exposed. I"d be kind of ticked, if I were you, that this woman insists on going despite everyone else in the department asking her not to.