Would you take your chickenpox children to the supermarket?

[Holymoly321]

DS's 3 and 1 have chickenpox - DS2 has it all over his face and body and DS1 just his body. The spots came up on Friday and most of them are scabbed over. I need to get out of the house and get some food in - and some calpol! Can I take them to the supermarket? Would you?

[Anna8888]

No - it is unfair to them and to other people. Not all adults have had chickenpox and it can be extremely unpleasant for older people. Can't you shop on the internet?

[rubyslippersisappearinginpanto]

they are scabbed over entirely? If so, then they aren't infectious and i would go

[XmasFairyGrrrl]

I would if they're past the contagious stage. If they're contagious i'd shop online or get someone else to shop for you. They could easily cough / sneeze over someone who's pregnant, or around someone with a weak immune system.

[kitbit]

No!!! NOOOO!

Parents who want their kids to catch it might expose them knowingly, but to come across chickenpox unexpectedly takes that choice away.

And it is very dangerous for pregnant women, a dose of chickenpox can cause abnormalities in the baby.

So no! Stay at home and shop online. If there is even ONE blister, you shouldn't take them out.

[Anna8888]

You might also get told by the manager of the supermarket to go home...

[PurplePillowsInSantasBed]

I agree with kitbitm, it is not worth the risk to pregnant women.

Shop online or get a friend to pick up what you need.

[misdee]

no no no

dh is out shopping, please dont kill him.

do an internet shop

[Fillyjonk]

If it was starve or go to the shops today, I'd go. Actually what I'd probably do is drive to a petrol station with a shop and run in and out for essentials, leaving them in the car. And do an internet shop for the bigger stuff.

Or just get dp to pop home from work, though I am lucky as he is very flexible-if he dashed home now he could either make up the hours later or just work from home, I know not everyone has that option.

[Fillyjonk]

"You might also get told by the manager of the supermarket to go home... "

really anna? Does that happen?

I think that is quite reasonnable btw, am just curious

[Anna8888]

Well, it does here in France .

[jelliebelly]

I wouldn't go. I had chicken pox as an adult and my brother caught it despite the fact that he lives at the other end of the country and only came to visit after I'd had the spots for well over a week - not sure I believe all the hearsay about it no longer being contagious when the spots are scabbed over.

[Holymoly321]

well that has answered my innocent question then. Looks like I am stuck inside with CBEebies for a few more days. I'll go online today.

[XmasFairyGrrrl]

you've got my sympathies holymoly- it's incredibly dull being stuck in with them. when mine had it i ventured out twice to take them for a walk- but i only went round the local cemetary at the top of our street. It's very open, so i could see if anyone was coming in the other direction and could quickly turn around!

[ChirpyGrinch]

I would second what Fillyjonk said about going to a petrol station, better to be safe if they arent completely scabbed over

[Hobnobfanatic]

When I was a single mum with a LO with chicken pox, I phoned my local Co-op to ask if I could bring her. They said they'd prefer it if I didn't, When I said I needed food and essentials, they took my list over the phone, together with my card details, and delivered it to me! Bless!

[Jux]

Not to mention endangering all those old people in supermarkets, who could very easily end up with shingles due to exposure to the chicken pox. Very very nasty. Mum got it from dd before we knew she had the pox!

Seriously, shingles is really nasty.

[Gemzooks]

I would go. Here in Holland they don't even remove kids with c pox from nursery. They just blithely wait for them all to get it (and whatever parents haven't had it, I suppose). I haven't had it yet but miraculously didn't get it when DS inevitably succumbed. I guess that's changed my attitude a bit. I don't think one shop in a supermarket would be a problem..

If not why not got for tesco direct and stick to the park for walks..

[CatIsSleepy]

no i would keep them home for at least a whole week
all the spots need to be dried up

[joyfuleyes]

Well they are far more infectious before they get the spots, there isn't anything you can do to prevent exposure at that point.

Would you quarantine a child who has been exposed to chicken pox but not developed spots yet (the incubation period is up to 21 days)? They are potentially more infectious than a child with scabby spots.

[pooka]

Gemzooka - that is all very well when you are talking about healthy children and adults getting the infection.

But what about people who are immune-suppressed or frail?

To knowingly take a child who is still infectious out among oter people is unfair, regardless of the fact that children are infectious before the spots appear.

[DoesntChristmasDragOn]

No. It is selfish.

Having said that, they are now borderline contagious if the recommendation is about 5 days. I thought it had changed from being "all scabbed over" but I'm not sure.

[ElectraInExcelsis]

No, I really wouldn't.

[goldFAQinsenceandmyrrh]

there was a long thread similar to this just a little while ago (last week I think) had some valid points of view (from both angles).

[goldFAQinsenceandmyrrh]

In my mind no you shouldn't really go out.

However, if you have no food or medicine and no-one to get and get them for you then you have sometimes have no choice.