Stages of Flu Recovery: How Long It Lasts

Flu Day 7

Day 7 is the stage when most people can confidently go out into public.

Even so, you should continue to take standard precautions to protect others around you. Cover your mouth while coughing and sneeze into a tissue or the crook of your elbow. Wash your hands immediately after, and disinfect any surfaces with a general-purpose cleaner.

With that said, Day 6 or 7 is the time when certain people start to develop acute bronchitis (inflammation of the bronchi). This may be caused when the lingering virus moves into the lungs. Less commonly, it is caused by a secondary infection in which bacteria enter airways that have been weakened by the flu.

While most cases of acute bronchitis are relatively mild, they can cause a lingering wet cough that persists for weeks. Severe cases should be seen by a healthcare provider.

Other people have been known to develop otitis media (a middle ear infection) after the flu, also typically mild.