That you don’t take a toddler with chickenpox on a flight and the airline shouldn’t let you!

[DrWhy]

So we have just flown back on a 4 hour flight sitting behind a couple with a young baby and toddler. The toddler seemed very quiet and was already seated when we sat down so it was only when they got off I realised he was covered in spots and calamine lotion! Not scabbed over as far as I could see. I asked the Mum when we were collecting luggage and she confirmed that he did have chicken pox but said it was only contagious before the spots appear. I’m pretty sure this isn’t true!
So I’m 6 months pregnant- and have fortunately had chickenpox or it would be really risky but DS is 2 and hasn’t had it yet.
I can’t believe anyone would do this and the airline didn’t stop or challenge them.
Do the airline have any responsibility to prevent obviously contagious passengers boarding?
Is there any possibility at all that DS won’t get it? Is there anything we can do to help protect him now we know he’s been exposed? We have been dithering about getting the vaccine for ages and hadn’t because there doesn’t seem to be totally convincing evidence that it gives lifetime immunity- the vaccine data sheet itself only claims 10 years but would giving it now help or is it too late once he’s been exposed?
I’m obviously worried about complications for him and how unpleasant it will be but I also start a new job role on return from this trip and am still covering my old one, DH is busy too and we have no family help for childcare so I’ve no idea how we’d manage a week or two off nursery if he gets it.

I was working as a midwife during my pregnancy abut 7 months when a patient was sent to the ward with shingles, I had to go to occupational health have blood tests then injections when it turned out for some reason I have no immunity, not happy, but all was well

YANBU to be annoyed.

The best thing you can do now is get your DC vaccinated ASAP. I got DS1 vaccinated when I was about 4-5 months pregnant and they said it would be fine as I'd have chicken pox before.

I basically got DS1 vaccinated for 3 reasons:

• didn't want him to get it at same time as having a newborn and risk passing it on.
• we both work full time and no back up childcare for potentially 2 weeks off work for a reason neither of our employers class as 'emergency dependant leave'
• it can be quite nasty (I have bad memories and scars from when I was 5 years old!) and I didn't want him to suffer.

I will get him vaccinated again as a teenager if required.

I would be absolutely livid. It's dangerous and irresponsible. Especially seating them by a pregnant woman! I would be complaining, a lot. Chicken pox can be very very dangerous and those most at risk can't be vaccinated.

The fact they were seated first screams "we knew about this but couldn't be bothered with the hassle of not letting them fly so we hoped no one would notice as if we'd kept them in the queue people would have seen and kicked off."

They may have managed to pull a fast one on the airline and kept the child very covered up/out of the way until too late. No airline would knowjngly allow someone with pox to fly

"To be honest. if they are coming back from holiday and child got sick while away, they are a bit stuck really."

This is what insurance is for. (and if you can't afford insurance you shouldn't fly) Happened to us one year: dd came down with chickenpox (ds had already had it) while we were away and I had to stay behind with her. Insurance company were really lovely and rang up several times to check that we were ok and have somewhere to stay etc.

Yes, you would miss work but then you couldn't send the child to childcare or school if they had the pox at home in England either, so somebody would still have to stay at home and look after them.

So, I’ve contacted my midwife who’s going to check with virology and get back in touch about whether I should have my immunity tested. I’ve got an appointment for DS vaccination at 4.15 - having done yet more reading about it, it’s effectiveness, shingles and why it isn’t on the NHS program - I’ve decided to go for it. I definitely wouldn’t want him to get it in a few months time when I also have a newborn.
Last thing is to figure out how on Earth you make a written complaint to RyanAir!

I think you need to calm down tbh - the child had chickenpox, not the plague!! It’s better for children to get it young anyway and there’s no evidence to suggest that your child will catch it anywaynif they didn’t have any interaction with the unwell passenger. Slight over reaction on your part.

PickledChutney did you miss that OP is pregnant?

No Foodylicious, I saw that, but ultimately, there are children carrying chickenpox everywhere you go - the supermarket, the library, the park, nursery etc etc.

I’m currently 34 weeks pregnant but wouldn’t be up in arms about someone on a plane that had chickenpox unless they were sitting right next to me and touching me or breathing all over me.

Lol imagine trying to sue them 😂🙈 sounds like they were misinformed OP or perhaps had even seen a doctor abroad and been given misinformation or misunderstood it? Also surprised Ryanair allowed them on, maybe they hid it. Very annoying for you. I am considering the vacc for DS

They were sitting in the seat row in front of us, I’m pretty sure DS didn’t have any direct contact with him and I certainly didn’t but it’s an airborne infection for a few days before spots appear and several days after and in the fluid from the blisters (so presumably on the seat for the next passenger) until all spots are crusted over.
RyanAir’s own policy is that a passenger with chickenpox can not fly until 7 days after the last spit appeared and should have a Drs letter declaring them fit to fly. I am annoyed that this wasn’t adhered to.
I am fortunate that I have had chickenpox although the midwife has sent my bloods off to confirm immunity. Unfortunately if I am not immune there is nothing they can do as they have no stock of immunoglobulin here at the moment! So it’s watch and wait and treat with antivirals if I am not immune and I do get it. Chickenpox may not be the plague but it can cause serious harm to unborn babies and it can be very dangerous for other immuno-compromised people. Which is why airline policies are not to admit infectious passengers onto the flight.
DS has his first vaccination dose this afternoon, which should still help provide him protection - should have done it months ago.

Oh and they’d made no effort to hide it, the toddler had spots and calamine type lotion on his face!
The staff had plenty of time to see it as they hadn’t booked their seats together and spent some time trying to get people to swop with the Dad who’d been planning to hold the baby in the exit row seats! Mum and toddler didn’t move during this palava or I’d have seen it at the start of the flight and questioned it then.