What Is an Upper Respiratory Infection?
6. When Are URIs Infectious?
Upper respiratory infections are contagious. When a person coughs or sneezes, the droplets emitted can contain pathogens. If a person does not cover their coughs or sneezes, the droplets become airborne. Anyone who inhales these droplets is at risk of contracting the URI.
A second pathway for contagion exists. Droplets can land on surfaces, and if you touch a contaminated surface and then touch your mouth or nose, you can contract the illness. Likewise, an infected individual can spread the pathogen by touching surfaces, such as a doorknob, with unclean hands.
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