How long should a person with flu-like symptoms stay away from others?
CDC recommends that people with influenza-like illness remain at home until at least 24 hours after they are free of fever (100° F [37.8°C]), or signs of a fever without the use of fever-reducing medications. This is a change from the previous recommendation that ill persons stay home for 7 days after illness onset or until 24 hours after the resolution of symptoms, whichever was longer. The new recommendation applies to camps, schools, businesses, mass gatherings, and other community settings where the majority of people are not at increased risk for influenza complications. This guidance does not apply to health care settings where the exclusion period should be continued for 7 days from symptom onset or until the resolution of symptoms, whichever is longer; see http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/guidelines_infection_control.htm for updates about the health care setting. Flu Prevention Workshops for Departments and Work Groups Flu Prevention Workshops flyer (pdf) Health*Matters, UC Berkeley’
