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Original poster

Possible chicken pox on holiday

122 replies

Hmmmbop · 22/05/2019 10:02

More a WWYD:

On holiday with 3mo and 3yo (and DH). Flight yesterday was cancelled due to strikes so we are already in a bit of a predicament. We have been given flights home tomorrow and are currently trying to entertain 2 kids in a shoe box hotel room in the middle of nowhere.

Yesterday 3yo came out in spots. The local Dr took a look (he happened to be at a local pharmacy) and cannot decide whether it's chicken pox or a reaction to mosquito bites (husband has also been bitten, I haven't). DS is under the weather but could also be over tired- we've had a lot of late nights.

Do we:

A) go back to a Dr for confirmation one way or the other and if it is CP stay in a hotel room for a week (DH would have to fly home alone due to starting a new job), so would be me alone with 2 small kids so would have to take 3yo to supermarket etc.

B) put long sleeve clothes and trousers on 3yo, presume it's mosquito bites and just get on the plane?

C) something else?

We have insurance but they won't cover lost earnings etc and we have to pay out and claim back.

OP posts:
Evilspiritgin · 22/05/2019 10:57

Go and get it confirmed either way

Original poster
Hmmmbop · 22/05/2019 13:11

It's definitely chicken pox

OP posts:
DoulaDaisy · 22/05/2019 13:12

A. Definitely A

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General health
DaisyDreaming · 22/05/2019 13:13

Sorry it’s chicken pox and your grounded until it’s over. Can your husband stock you up really well from the supermarket before he leaves?

Sexnotgender · 22/05/2019 13:15

Never ever B.

TowerRingInferno · 22/05/2019 13:15

A

bliminy · 22/05/2019 13:17

Which country are you in? I'm in the US and it's a notifiable disease here.

juneau · 22/05/2019 13:19

What an awful situation to be in OP Sad

The 'right' thing to do is to quarantine yourselves until the spots have crusted over, as you can catch chicken pox simply by being in the same room as someone who has it - so on a plane you'd be putting everyone on that plane with you at risk of catching it.

Can you delay your flight home - will your insurance cover that? And, if so, can you or your DH go to the supermarket before he flies home, just so you don't have to take your DC there?

www.nhs.uk/conditions/chickenpox/

ChariotsofFish · 22/05/2019 13:24

You’re not going to be able to fly, so is there a way to make it better while you’re there? Could you move to apartment or a different hotel?

Original poster
Hmmmbop · 22/05/2019 13:52

Insurance will only cover this hotel. There is no fridge or cooking facilities in the room and no room service so I HAVE to take DC to get food- I have spoken to insurance about this and they state this is acceptable. The doctor here (Italy) was very relaxed about it and will not tell insurance otherwise, I did ask. In his opinion we should be allowed to fly and he suggested getting the train home.

The baby is breastfed and will not take a bottle so has to remain with me.

OP posts:
Original poster
Hmmmbop · 22/05/2019 13:54

I'm on mat leave and DH is starting a new job Friday (was supposed to be today) he had 2 weeks unpaid between jobs so we can't afford to foot the bill ourselves

OP posts:
Original poster
Hmmmbop · 22/05/2019 14:05

Just to confirm, the doctor has issued (as requested by insurance) a fit to fly notice. Insurance have informed us we must check out of the hotel tomorrow go to the airport and be turned away. They will then put us up in the same hotel. They've said "it's process" as the doctor has deemed us fit to fly, despite the airline policy on the matter. I'm not saying I think we should fly. If we were at home I wouldn't consider leaving the house!

OP posts:
Emmabryant123 · 22/05/2019 14:26

Goodness sounds like a nightmare
I can see why you'd be tempted to get on the plane ...

LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett · 22/05/2019 14:32

If you have to check out anyway, I'd be negotiating hard for a better hotel with cooking facilities. Speak to the supervisor on duty and point out that every single meal for a week will probably cost more than a slightly better hotel room where you can self-cater.

You poor thing, what a nightmare!

mummyhaschangedhername · 22/05/2019 14:32

Argh, what a nightmare. Call up the airport and have them refuse you over the phone and go from there.

missbrightside09 · 22/05/2019 14:54

The airline can't refuse you if you have a fit to fly certificate OP.

Original poster
Hmmmbop · 22/05/2019 15:06

missbrightside09 they can. Whether they will is a different thing. Unfortunately for the other passengers, if they don't refuse us we have to fly, as we won't be insured from that point, meaning if DS gets 3mo gets it we won't be covered and we'd have to fund the stay and flight, which we can't do.

OP posts:
LIZS · 22/05/2019 15:07

How do you have a fit to fly note if your ds has active cp? Have you seen dr again today?

Original poster
Hmmmbop · 22/05/2019 15:26

How do you have a fit to fly note if your ds has active cp? Have you seen dr again today?

Yes, saw one appointed by the insurance company this afternoon. He confirmed it's CP but didn't see why we shouldn't fly. He accepted that the airline may refuse and have a policy against it but as far as he was concerned it was "unnecessary precaution" so issued the git to fly, which the insurance had requested off him, I didn't ask for.

I've rung the airline and they don't fly from our airport to day so no staff to refuse us but advised that despite ftf the staff can refuse if it appears DS is more unwell then the ftf suggests. They cannot refuse us with a ftf without seeing DS.
In lots of ways the insurance has been good in that they organised the GP, the hotel etc directly we've had to do very little.

OP posts:
spaghettihooligan · 22/05/2019 15:33

Oh op sounds like a total nightmare Sad Do you have a buggy and sling with you? At least that way if you do get refused and have to stay, you could put the baby in a sling, 3 yo in buggy with rain over on and go for a walk somewhere secluded with no people around.

juneau · 22/05/2019 15:36

Sounds like you have no option but to comply with the insurance company's rules. It's not exactly good practice when you're talking about CP, but not every country sees it as a serious illness (and generally it's not - it's just that the consequences can be serious for pregnant women and the elderly).

Original poster
Hmmmbop · 22/05/2019 15:43

juneau exactly. As I say if we were at home it'd be a week or so in the house, other plans be damned. It's the lack of insurance and the risk of complications if we don't fly but could.

OP posts:
stucknoue · 22/05/2019 15:53

To be honest your dc sitting on the plane isn't going to pass it on, chickenpox is passed on my touch, hence spreading around young kids. Can you call the airline in the U.K.? Unfortunately you need to follow the insurance company's instructions and maybe you'll be allowed to fly or be put into a better hotel

Emmabryant123 · 22/05/2019 15:57

That is incorrect
Chicken pox is also airborne

LIZS · 22/05/2019 15:57

Cp virus is airborne, shingles is contact.

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