Even while using an antibiotic, are viral infections still contagious?

A friend is sick. The ER originally didn't do anything but give her a Z pack because she didn't want to wait for the strep test. After a few days, she went to another doctor... who said it was viral, and gave her some pills for pain.
It's affecting her throat, and I tend to catch throat related illnesses easy. I suffer from strep or tonsilitis almost monthly, so I wanted to stay away so I didn't catch it.
She debates that she was on the antibiotic for 24 hours, so she's not contagious, and I combat that antibiotics don't work against viruses. Who is right? Is there a high chance that she's contagious?

You're right. Antibiotics don't work against viruses; they work against bacterial infections. Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor.

antibiotics do nothing for viruses, whatsoever, so if it's viral, she may still be contagious.

CHances are, however, by the time whatever she had progressed to the point of inflammatory reaction (sore throat), she was already responding to the virus and probably well past contagious. The symptoms of a viral infection are mostly the symptoms of your body responding, which can take a couple of days after you are most infectious to begin in some cases.

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