You can, but you will probably catch it: MedlinePlus advises avoiding close contact like kissing when you or the other person is sick. People are most contagious in the first 2 to 3 days of a cold, and the NHS says you stay infectious until all your symptoms have gone. A good point to start kissing again is once symptoms are clearly getting better and there has been no fever for at least 24 hours, which matches CDC guidance for going back to normal activities. Never kiss a young baby or someone with a weak immune system while you have cold symptoms.
How does a cold spread through kissing?
Colds are caused by viruses. MedlinePlus says more than 200 different viruses can cause a cold, and rhinoviruses are the most common. The viruses spread through the air in tiny droplets from coughs, sneezes and nose-blowing, and through close personal contact.
Kissing puts your face right next to someone else's nose and mouth, so you are in the path of those droplets. Hands matter too. The NHS says cold germs can live on hands and surfaces for 24 hours, and MedlinePlus says you can get infected by touching something with the virus on it and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Holding hands, sharing a pillow, then rubbing your eyes can do the same job as a kiss.
- Droplets: coughs, sneezes and nose-blowing up close
- Close contact: kissing, hugging, sharing a bed face to face
- Hands and surfaces: touching something with the virus on it, then your eyes, nose or mouth
- Shared items: cups, utensils and towels
When is the risk highest?
MedlinePlus says people are most contagious for the first 2 to 3 days of a cold, and that colds are usually not contagious after the first week. The NHS adds that a person can start spreading a cold a few days before their symptoms begin, and stays infectious until all symptoms have gone.
That means the kiss most likely to give you a cold may be the one the day before your partner felt sick. You cannot do much about that one. What you can control is the first few days after symptoms start, when sneezing, a runny nose and coughing are at their worst.
When can I kiss my partner again?
No official source gives a kissing timeline for colds, and the sources differ on the finish line. The NHS says you are infectious until all your symptoms have gone. CDC guidance for respiratory viruses says you can go back to normal activities when, for at least 24 hours, your symptoms are getting better overall and you have not had a fever without using fever-reducing medicine, and then take added precautions for the next 5 days.
A practical middle ground: wait until your partner is clearly on the mend and fever-free for 24 hours. If you want the lowest risk, or you are about to travel, have a big event, or live with someone vulnerable, wait until the symptoms are fully gone. A leftover cough can linger, so it is fine to use judgment rather than wait for every last sniffle.
- Days 1 to 3 of symptoms: most contagious, skip kissing
- Getting better, no fever for 24 hours: CDC says normal activities can resume, with extra care for 5 days
- All symptoms gone: the NHS point where you are no longer infectious
What if you live together or already kissed?
If you already kissed someone who turned out to have a cold, there is nothing to take that undoes it. MedlinePlus says cold symptoms usually start about 2 or 3 days after contact with the virus, though it can take up to a week, so watch for a scratchy throat or runny nose over the next week.
If you share a home, you can still lower your odds. The NHS suggests washing your hands with warm water and soap, not sharing towels or household items like cups, and not touching your eyes or nose. MedlinePlus also suggests cleaning and disinfecting surfaces you touch often.
- Wash hands often, especially after touching tissues or their face
- Use separate cups, utensils, towels and toothbrushes
- Keep your hands away from your eyes, nose and mouth
- Hug from the side or kiss the cheek away from their face if you can't resist
Who should you never kiss with a cold?
A cold that is mild for you can be serious for someone else. The American Academy of Pediatrics says a virus that causes a mild illness in an older child or adult can cause a more serious one in an infant, and that for babies under 3 months old, the best way to prevent colds is to keep them away from people who have one. If a baby 3 months or younger shows any sign of illness, the AAP says to call the pediatrician at the first sign.
The NHS says people with a long-term condition such as diabetes or a heart, lung or kidney condition, or a weakened immune system, for example from chemotherapy, should see a doctor if they get cold symptoms. If your partner falls into one of these groups, hold off on kissing until you are fully well.
- Newborns and babies under 3 months
- Anyone on chemotherapy or other treatment that weakens the immune system
- People with heart, lung or kidney disease, or diabetes
When should you get care?
In an emergency, call 911See a doctor soon if you have a high temperature for more than 3 days, a cough for more than 3 weeks, or a long-term condition (such as diabetes, or a heart, lung or kidney condition) or weakened immune system and get cold symptoms.
Contact a provider if you have problems breathing, or your symptoms get worse or do not improve after 7 to 10 days.
Call the pediatrician at the first sign of illness in a baby 3 months or younger. For older babies and children, call for fast breathing or any trouble breathing, nostrils widening with each breath, skin pulling in between the ribs, or blue lips or nails.
Call 911 or get emergency care right away if anyone has trouble breathing or chest pain.
How our AI doctor decides when to send you to care ›Is it a cold or a cold sore?
The names sound alike but they are different infections. A cold is a virus in your nose and throat. A cold sore is a blister on or near the lip caused by the herpes simplex virus, which the NHS says stays in your skin for the rest of your life.
The kissing rules are stricter for cold sores. The NHS says cold sores are contagious from the first tingle until they are fully healed, and that you should not kiss anyone while you have one. Kissing a baby with a cold sore can cause neonatal herpes, which is very dangerous for newborns. If you have a tingle, blister or scab on your lip, read our guide on when you can kiss after a cold sore.
Common questions
Can you kiss someone with a cold?
You can, but you are likely to catch it. MedlinePlus advises avoiding close contact like kissing when either person is sick. The first 2 to 3 days are the most contagious, so wait until symptoms are clearly improving and there has been no fever for 24 hours.
Can you catch a cold from one kiss?
Yes, it is possible. Cold viruses spread through droplets and close contact, and a kiss puts you right next to both. Many people also catch colds from hands and shared items, so a kiss is not the only route.
If we already kissed, is there any point in stopping now?
Often yes. You may not have caught it yet, and the first few days of symptoms are when people are most contagious. Taking a break, washing hands and not sharing cups still lowers your chances.
Can I kiss my baby if I have a cold?
Try not to, especially if your baby is under 3 months old. The AAP says keeping young babies away from people with colds is the best way to prevent them, because a mild cold in an adult can be more serious in an infant. Wash your hands before handling your baby and keep your face away from theirs.
Does kissing someone with a cold give you a cold sore?
No. Colds and cold sores are caused by different viruses. Cold sores come from the herpes simplex virus, and the NHS says not to kiss anyone while you have one. If you already carry that virus, the NHS lists illness as one thing that can trigger a cold sore.
Will taking cold medicine make me less contagious?
No source we found says that cold medicine stops you spreading a cold. It can ease symptoms, but fever reducers can hide a fever, and CDC guidance counts the 24 hours without fever only when you are not using fever-reducing medicine.
Pymander is not a replacement for a physician and does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with questions about a medical condition. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call 911.