Duration of the risk of infection

As already mentioned, strictly speaking, every fever with its accompanying illness is contagious. However, it is not the rise in temperature that is itself contagious. Rather, it is the pathogens that trigger it.

Thus, the fever is a good indicator for the healing process of an infection. If the person affected is free of fever again and has no more serious complaints, he or she is no longer considered to be infectious. On the other hand, any rise in fever as well as any stagnant fever must be classified as potentially infectious.

For workers or children attending public institutions, this means staying away from work or school until a full recovery has taken place. This protects the others from possible infection and the affected person himself from a possible worsening or delay in his healing process. Too early exposure can weaken the immune system.

The best parameter for assessment is the own feeling of illness in combination with a monitoring of the body temperature. As annoying and unpleasant as it may seem. If, according to fever measurement, there is no fever for more than two days, there is no longer any risk of infection.

Am I already contagious during the incubation period?

Especially the incubation period is a highly contagious phase when fever is accompanied by sore throat, rhinitis, cough, headache, vomiting or diarrhea. If pathogens enter the body via the mucous membrane, for example, they find an optimal culture medium. As a result, they multiply rapidly.

Those affected notice this as a reduction in performance, drowsiness and slightly increased body temperatures. In themselves, however, they have no real disease value. With further development of symptoms such as sneezing or coughing, the pathogens can then be transmitted simply by droplet infection.One speaks of a disease, however, only when the mucous membrane becomes visibly inflamed and further symptoms occur. The risk of infection is, however, highest during the incubation period when there are few symptoms. Social contacts are not avoided during this period – and this is exactly what makes the risk of infection so high.