Chicken pox on a plane

[parmavioletmartini]

I kind of know I'm not being unreasonable but I am unbelievably shocked.

A friend is on holiday with her toddler and she has developed chicken pox. Diagnosed yesterday and they are still going to fly back on Saturday. I had assumed that there was no way an airline would let you fly.

Having had a mother who traveled back and forth from Spain between rounds of chemotherapy I find it appalling. When I mentioned this to her she said that's the risk you take when you travel!

I know it's intrinsically none of my business, but I feel she's potentially putting lives at risk. But AIBU to feel annoyed.

If the child is obviously 'poxy' they may not be allowed through check-in. Airlines are quite hot on this kind of thing ime

she probably won't still be infectious by then

They won't be infectious by Saturday

Yes they will you are infectious until scanned about a week.

You're infectious until they have scabbed over which wint have happened in 2 days
No OP yanbu. May well be young babies on flight for whom it's very dangerous Too

By Saturday I assumed she meant next Saturday not today
The official guidelines say 5 days from the first spot so 7 days is plenty

Saturday as in today?

We got stuck overseas after DS got chickenpox the day before we were due to fly home. Was more than a week later that we were issued a fit to fly note.

She might decide to chance it and conceal the spit's but this is irresponsible at best and life threatenin at worst.

Oh I see. Well yes if it's next week she should be fine, although the guidelines are about scabbing rather than time period - it's just that 5-6 days is usual for scabbing. If they go infected for instance it could be longer

Yes Saturday as in today.

Sorry this week has run away from me!

I'm that case then no way should they fly

Completely selfish of her.

A friend of mines DC has just had a stay in hospital for IV ABs and then had to have surgery to drain their CP spots as they'd got infected on top of the actual CP virus. Poor wee lamb had been right through the mill lately with their health and didnt have a break to build their immune system back up in time for whatever hit them next.

If it can affect a toddler that badly think how badly it can affect someone on chemo.

When my dd was little we were not allowed to fly (only flying to Scotland) when she was recovering from chicken pox. She was scabby but no longer infectious. I would be surprised if they would be allowed to fly.

When I caught CP the dr was fairly sure it was on a plane a few weeks earlier. I was 20 and had so many spots in places I didn't think you could get spots. I came very close to missing my final uni exams and deadlines for essays as I was unable to fly home to complete them (was visiting my father who lives in Australia).
Not life threatening (as it could be for others) but a massive PITA. Choosing to do that is so selfish. Being unable to fly and the associated costs would be covered by travel insurance surely?

Is she aware they won't let her fly?!

Always astounds me how people see chickenpox as a mild illness and others feel it is lucky to get it when they're young and 'get it out of the way'.

Yes it can be mild but in others it can be serious.

Chickenpox caused my child to have a stroke. Google chickenpox and stroke in children.

Your friend is being incredibly selfish. Though I think if the airline sees the child is unwell there's a chance they'll stop them from flying.

Has she been told she can fly? If she's been diagnosed by a doctor, they will say they can't fly and you have to go back and get a certificate that says you are fit to fly. If she's just going to chance it, hopefully airline staff will notice and then they'll refuse her return travel. Fee it's refused in those circumstances then her insurance won't cover a return flight cost either!

She's hoping they wont notice. Apparently he dosnt have many spots on his face just on his body.

We have a group chat and she's on her way to the airport now. Wants us to wish her luck

She's quite selfish anyway but this is just crazy I'm so shocked.

I do think think she's being very selfish and I totally get the comments but...just for the flip side. Where is she meant to go if she doesn't fly home? As in, what if they literally have no money to stay somewhere for longer etc

Well travel insurance would pay for accommodation and new flights in these circumstances I would have thought.

I don't think Samuel L. Jackson will be signing up to this sequel.

(Sorry!)

What I mean is, coz.I genuinely don't know (havent been abroad in around 7 years) does insurance.cover things like this?

Oh x post. If that would happen then she's being hugely unreasonable. I just wondered coz when we plan to holiday abroad it will take us a good year to save for the holiday and there's no way we'd afford to stay another week. We'd obviously have travel insurance though.

Her comment about 'its what you risk when you fly' is ridiculous too. People don't expect to be flying with people who have contagious illnesses