How long does a cold last? And how long are you contagious?

USA Today

12-06-2025

Many people think of December and January as the two months of the year you're likely to catch the common cold, but 'cold season' actually stretches from late August through April. That means only about three months of the year, typically May through July, fall outside it. But even during these 'off' months, nearly one in 10 people still catch a cold, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In other words, in any given month, tens of millions of people are walking around with telltale cold symptoms like a stuffy nose, headache, fatigue, sneezing, sore throat and sometimes a cough or low-grade fever.
Here's what causes colds to spread so easily, how long they are usually contagious and how they're most commonly treated.
What are the main causes of a cold?
The common cold is most often caused by a viral infection. Rhinoviruses are the leading culprit, but other viruses such as adenoviruses, certain coronaviruses, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and parainfluenza viruses can also trigger cold symptoms by infecting the upper respiratory tract.
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These and more than 200 other viruses spread through saliva or mucus particles expelled from a sick person. 'To catch a cold, you must introduce a cold virus from someone else into your airway,' says Dr. David Hill, a North Carolina-based pediatrician and spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics. This typically happens when infected respiratory droplets are released into the air when a sick person talks, sings, sneezes or coughs. In addition to being inhaled directly, viruses can also land on surfaces and spread when someone touches a contaminated surface and then brushes their nose, eyes or mouth.
'Being in shared spaces often increases the likelihood of transmission,' says Dr. Alison Mitzner, a New York City-based board-certified pediatrician and author of "Calm and Confident Parenting." Other risk factors include a weakened immune system, preexisting health conditions, exposure to cigarette smoke, colder months with lower humidity (which dry out nasal passages) and aging. "Sleep deprivation and fatigue can also make people more susceptible to catching a cold," adds Hill.
How long are colds contagious?
One of the reasons colds spread so frequently is that they are contagious even before symptoms begin, often one or two days beforehand. After that, "you're usually contagious for as long as you have symptoms, which typically last seven to ten days," says Mitzner. While germs can spread anytime throughout this period, the most viral shedding tends to happen around days four to six. "Know that you can remain contagious for up to two weeks though," she adds.
Hill says it's also important to note that "different cold viruses have different levels of contagion." RSV, for example, "is extraordinarily easy to transmit at it can survive on surfaces for hours," he explains.
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How are colds treated?
While symptoms can almost always be managed, 'there are no treatments that shorten the duration of a cold,' says Hill. Instead, "every cold just needs to run its course," says Mitzner.
To relieve symptoms in the meantime, Hill recommends saltwater nasal rinses for congestion or using nasal decongestants like oxymetazoline if symptoms are especially bad. But he cautions against using them for more than two to three days due to the risk of rebound congestion which, he says, "may be worse than the cold itself." Medications such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen can also reduce fever and alleviate sore throat or headaches but should not be given to very young children without medical advice.
For younger kids, Hill recommends honey as a natural cough and sore throat remedy, though he emphasizes that infants and kids under 1 year should never be given honey due to the risk of botulism.
'When you catch a cold, it's important to let your body heal,' says Mitzner. That means rest, hydration and the use of 'a cool-mist humidifier at night to breathe easier.'