I don’t want to go to in laws because of shingles

[Bobthebuildercanhefixit]

FIL recently had shingles, around 3 weeks ago. My DH thinks I’m overreacting but we have 2 small children (newborn and 18 months) who’ve not yet had chicken pox. I’m worried he might be infectious. We are meant to be going on Boxing Day and staying till after the weekend. I have a great relationship with ILs but anxious FIL is still contagious/infectious. Honest opinions please.

I wouldn’t be going, not with a newborn.

You can't catch Chicken Pox from Shingles

Actually yes that’s right. I was thinking it was the other way round!

Just Googled and it says that once blisters are crusted over they're no longer contagious. I'd want to know how long ago the rash went...

Reaa - it's the other way round. You can catch chickenpox from direct contact with any secretions from shingles but you cannot catch shingles from chickenpox

Hmmm.

Actually I wouldn’t want to go.

IGNORE ME it's the other way around

You can catch chicken pox from shingles if you’ve not had chicken pox before.

The rash just isn’t as contagious as chicken pox. You need to directly touch the rash.

As long as it’s all covered up and scabbed over, it’s fine.

Yes you can catch chicken pox from shingles BUT only with direct contact with fluid from the blisters. If they can be covered then they will not pass on the chicken pox virus. They should not still be blisters after 3 weeks so wouldn't be contagious anyway

NH S advice to people with shingles is to avoid.baby's less than a month old

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2722564/

With a newborn? You're a fool to even contemplate it.

My DD got chickenpox at 6 months.... she had blisters in her nose, ears, mouth and groin that all got infected. She couldn't feed (was entirely breastfed still) and ended up in hospital being sedated and on a drip/ng feeding tube. It was horrific and anyone who says chickenpox is a mild illness deserves a good punch imo.

From Nhs:

Stay off work or school if the rash is still oozing fluid (weeping) and can't be covered – or until the rash has dried out.

You're only infectious to others while the rash oozes fluid.

You can cover the rash with loose clothing or a non-sticky dressing.

I got chicken pox from from my gran who had shingles when I was 20. I was very unwell.

You need to directly touch the rash.

Not quite true. It’s spread by the fluid, not airborne, but it can be passed by touch (eg the person with the rash touches the rash then touches something/someone else).

Does he still have a rash?

Are you planning on licking or rubbing yourself on his blisters? Well there should be no risk.
We catch chicken pox as a virus from someone who has chicken pox. And then the virus lies dormant in us, until it is reawakened at some point and we have a case of shingles. AFAIK you cannot transmit shingles to anyone - you catch it from yourself, repeatedly, sometimes.
You said he HAD it 3 weeks ago. Implying it has gone.
I had shingles when working with cancer patients, GP said there was no transmission risk as long as blisters were covered. (But I did stay off for the few days it took for things to heal as was with very immunocompromised people)
Totally appreciate your concerns, why not check with GP or HV?

Should be fine if it was 3 weeks ago. No way he'd still have vesicles/ blisters at this point.

What's the incubation period? Could FIL be over it but for eg BIL, MIL etc be contagious but not showing symptoms yet?

You certainly can catch chickenpox from someone with shingles! (Check out the NHS website; shingles is caused by the chickenpox virus 'reactiving' in your body). However, the virus is only contagious while the blisters are still weeping - once blistered over, they cannot spread the infection.

I had a lovely bout of shingles (on my scalp!!) last month, but my DC have had the chickenpox vaccine, and were fine. The blisters were only 'oozing' (sorry for TMI!) for about 5 days. So if your FIL developed shingles 3 weeks ago, I should think the blisters should be well and truly 'scabbed over' by now. He may well still be feeling a bit poorly though - I felt shattered for a few weeks afterwards.

However, I can totally understand your concerns given you have a newborn. Could you possibly have a chat to FIL/MIL about how his blisters are looking now, and then get some advice from your GP?

Are you planning on licking or rubbing yourself on his blisters? Well there should be no risk.

🙄 What bollocks.

We catch chicken pox as a virus from someone who has chicken pox.

Or, more rarely, from people with shingles, as it is the same virus.

AFAIK you cannot transmit shingles to anyone

You can’t give them shingles. You can give them chicken pox.

To prevent spreading misconceptions, try the CDC page on the subject.

Not quite true. It’s spread by the fluid, not airborne, but it can be passed by touch (eg the person with the rash touches the rash then touches something/someone else)

Sorry yes, I was being a bit hasty.

My dd has just had shingles!

I had shingles a couple of months ago (second time, lucky me!). You aren’t contagious once the scabs have crusted over, which takes about 5 days. He is well past being contagious.

Christ no, I wouldn’t dream of taking a newborn. I’m surprised anyone would even contemplate it to be honest, it’s kind of a no-brainer to me.

If his rash has gone crusty then there is no danger of passing on chicken pox. Check the state of the rash before going

Just to add, my 17 year old had shingles last year, and my friend with a young baby was advised by her GP dad to keep the baby well away from our place.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/shingles/
has he still got blisters? if he has definitely no. As stated by the nhs you CAN get chickenpox from shingles but you cant get shingles from chickenpox - because to get shingles you must have had chickenpox previously.