Would you visit someone who has chickenpox tomorrow?

[whynotwhatknot]

Family member aged 7 has chickenpox 4th day of it today

Meant to be going round there for xmas dinner-have had chickenpox as a child not vulnerable-everyone else visiting has previously had it

Dh not keen as has to work and doesnt get sick pay

What would you do

Having had chickenpox as an adult and Covid, I'd take Covid any day.

It was not fun being on oxygen, feeling like I had been immersed in boiling acid (inside as well as out) with nobody able to do anything unless I arrested because I was so contagious.

At least with Covid, I just couldn't breathe. Chickenpox - couldn't breathe AND in burning agony.

The vast majority of UK parents nurse their all their own children through chickenpox and hence are heavily exposed. Very few parents catch it again.

Surely he should just get vaccinated - Why would you live with an anti-vaxxer?

Adults don't get vaccinated against chicken pox usually.

All 3 of my dc have had it, both my dcs were quite poorly with it (aged 2 and 10 months) I subsequently caught it from them and luckily was fine just covered head to toe in spots.
Dd caught it when she was 11, again wasn’t ill with it. Neither I or Ds’s caught it again…..But we’ve all got scarring though!

Dh and both Sdc’s never caught it from any of us. But Dh couldn’t remember if any of them had already had it.
(Mind you Dh never catches anything from any of us)

If it were me I’d not worry and be happy to visit.

@LunaTheCat

Chickenpox as an adult is awful- I had it. Adults have a high risk complications - chickenpox pneumonia is very very nasty. In the middle of a pandemic, when medical resources are very very stretched then I would consider very very seriously .

Me too, got it when I was 36 and it made me really ill. It was weeks before I felt properly well.

Adults don't get vaccinated against chicken pox usually

Only in the UK, the US CDC recommend it for everyone, for someone who's concerned about catching it, the highly effective vaccine would seem the obvious choice surely?

@sirfredfredgeorge

Adults don't get vaccinated against chicken pox usually

Only in the UK, the US CDC recommend it for everyone, for someone who's concerned about catching it, the highly effective vaccine would seem the obvious choice surely?

The vaccine in the UK is only available privately and isn't cheap. I think it's around £150 per person.

So I'm not sure why you referred to him as an anti-vaxxer for not getting a jab that's not routine in this country and that you have to pay a fair bit of money to access!

So I'm not sure why you referred to him as an anti-vaxxer for not getting a jab that's not routine in this country and that you have to pay a fair bit of money to access

Exactly, some people are to quick to shout anti-Vaxxer these days!

I didnt even know there was a vaccine available in this country for chickenpox, does that make me an anti -Vaxxer too?

@MrsClatterbuck

My friend had it at 18. She had a terrible time. Not sure If you have had it already can you get shingles from it?

No. Shingles is a result of your previous infection that has been lying dormant in your body - not of a new infection.

I agree with DH. No idea what i had as an adult whether it was the pox or shingles but it was the most miserable 2 weeks of my life.

I still have the pictures, I looked a state

Don’t go. My siblings had chickenpox as adults, and were very ill indeed.

Don't go. I've had it twice, second time as an adult, caught from a very poxy child who came in the shop where I was working. It's bloody miserable.

If I wanted my kids to get chicken pox and myself to get shingles, yes. Otherwise no.

No way would I go. I had CP as an adult and it was awful - ill for ages and lots of scars

Unless I hadn’t had it as a child and were immune compromised, I wouldn’t worry too much about it but I do understand your DH’s POV. I heard it’s nasty when you’re an adult and yes there are people that can catch it again as adults so I can see why he’s not keen on the risk.

@BornOnTwelfthNight

So I'm not sure why you referred to him as an anti-vaxxer for not getting a jab that's not routine in this country and that you have to pay a fair bit of money to access

Exactly, some people are to quick to shout anti-Vaxxer these days!

I didnt even know there was a vaccine available in this country for chickenpox, does that make me an anti -Vaxxer too?

I grew up outside Britain and the vaccine wasn’t offered to us children and it still isn’t freely available there (European country) unless you insist/ child is immune compromised. The mindset is that kids will get it at some point and get over it. Ridiculous if you ask me because as an adult you may not have enough anti bodies against it anymore and if I’m correctly informed, it’s a danger to pregnant women. My DS has had the vaccine but I can see why many adults including myself haven’t and I wouldn’t call them an anti vaxxer for that. The government should make it free and readily available for all.

hes stayed at home and no hes not an anti vaxxer triple jabbed for covid we arent offered the chickenpox vax for free here

merry christmas to you all

If you have had it before, isn't it good to be exposed to it again, to boost your immunity so you don't end up getting shingles when older...not sure about how that works but read something like that once.