How long contagious - herpes on rear end

My outbreaks usually manifest as sores on my right butt cheek.  I had a doozy of an outbreak start last Friday.  The sores are crusting over now, 6 days later.  Still sore in my lymph nodes.  

Am I contagious vaginally or do I just have to cover up the sores on my butt, and make sure my partner doesn't touch them?  That seems incorrect to me - that intercourse MUST be a bad idea while I have sores at all, right?

I've gotten conflicting info.

Thanks for help.

[daisy315]

The area of the outbreak is contagious from the onset ( tingly or itching ) until the blisters have broken and crusted over,if you can it is wise to cover the area with a dry dressing to avoid skin to skin contact with a partner,I don't know how contagious you are genitally because I personally have had very conflicting information on this, I myself only ever have a very minute outbreak on my back and never genitally but until I can get definate information on how the virus is working genitally in such scenarios I would consider it wise to use condoms during an outbreak to be on the safe side   ...
Most of the information we read about is directed at Oral or Genital outbreaks when the virus is obviously active in that area I don't think it's very well documented to help people who's outbreaks have never presented in the genitals at all  primary or otherwise.

Daisy .