With the varying times from exposure to disease onset, the best way to prevent getting sick is to get vaccinated.
| Disease | Incubation Period | Contagious |
|---|---|---|
| Seasonal Flu | 1 – 4 days | 24 hours before symptom onset to 3-7 days after |
| Pertussis | 7 – 10 days (range of 5 – 21 days) | 1 -3 weeks |
| Chicken Pox (varicella) | 10 -21 days | 1 – 2 days prior to rash onset |
| Pneumococcal | Varies, can be as short as 1-3 days | Unknown, can be under 24 hours after starting effective antimicrobial treatment |
Vaccination not only protects you, it protects those around you. While the Code of Virginia requires immunizations for all children enrolled in school and daycare, they are not fully protected from disease until they receive all doses in the series. Until they can get all of the required doses, immunizing people around them (caregivers, parents, and grandparents) is the best option.