Safe if children have chickenpox?

[Mynameisntrelevant]

Chickenpox! Both children now have chickenpox. Due to a family wedding at weekend & to stay with elderly relatives. . I've had it as a child, so hoping I'm safe to still go? Google is giving differing opinions!

Can't you get shingles even though you have immunity to chickenpox?

You cam catch chickenpox from shingles, app not the other way round.

If you've had it before you're absolutely fine to go about your day as normal.

You're absolutely fine to go.

Yes, you're fine to go out and see people as normal if you've had them before.

No.

The CP virus stays in your body forever. Sometimes, like if you're really run down, it can reignite and cause shingles. You can't 'catch' shingles as it's just the virus you already have.

You can however give people chicken pox from your shingles if they've never had it before (I gave it to both my kids before I realised my painful rash was shingles)

Oh, I see. Sorry, op

You can’t catch shingles. It is the reactivated chickenpox virus which lies dormant after the initial infection.

Supposedly it is a good thing for older and vulnerable people to come into contact with children who have chickenpox, as it helps to boost their immunity against shingles. This is the justification for not immunising children against chickenpox on the NHS, despite it being a routine childhood vaccination in many countries.

Thanks all,

Coming into contact with chicken pox or shingles can be harmful for anyone who is immunocompromised eg on chemo, if being treated for rheumatoid arthritis or if elderly as it can lead to complications such as pneumonia

It’s very very unlikely you’ll catch it a second time and also the incubation period is usually 2-3 weeks and you’re not contagious until 1-2 days before the spots appear. So even if you already have caught it from them you shouldn’t be contagious for at least 10 days.