Contagious vs Quarantine

So, when are you most contagious? Most experts agree that adults with a cold or the flu start being contagious about a day before they start experiencing symptoms. For the flu, the contagious period then lasts five to seven days into the illness. For children, the contagious period for the flu can last up to two weeks after they start feeling sick, even if they start feeling better before that. The contagious period for a cold lasts about three to four days into the illness. As a general rule, people with a cold are most contagious about three days after their initial exposure to the virus.

How many people really stop their activities for a week and sequestor themselves?  Hence the resaon flu spreads so rapidly.  Feeling well is relative - yes I feel better than Monday but not well enough to chance infecting others.  If this disease was life threatening then more restrictive measures are put in place - Quarantine. 

Quarantine is confused with isolating sick people - instead it is applied to well people who have been exposed to the sick.  So in my case - everyone who I touched, interacted with from Thursday to today would be Quarantined. This would slow the rate of viral spread to others.

Hmmm -  maybe a new facebook application.