Going into work if child has chickenpox?

[AleenaM]

Am I being unreasonable to turn up to work if my child has chickenpox? Can I spread the virus?

I work from home but came in today after 6 weeks of not being in, especially for a wider team meeting despite my child having chickenpox and needing me, I stupidly mentioned this to a colleague who then refused to sit next to my desk and went on about shingles and other worries etc. I then took the meeting over Teams from an isolated desk as I would've not been comfortable sitting in the same room as this colleague.

Who is being unreasonable here? It's made me quite upset to be honest.

Have you had chickenpox before? If so you're very unlikely to get it again, and won't pass it on unless you actually do catch it. And you can't catch shingles from chickenpox (although you can catch chickenpox from shingles).

Your colleague is being ridiculous. You were fine to come in, you can’t stay away because someone else is I’ll.

You're not being unreasonable.

This

Totally correct.
To get shingles you have to have had chicken pox with the virus then lying dormant, usually for yrs.
If someone has shingles and you touch the 'secretions/weeping' you COULD get chickenpox.
Someone with chicken pox could give you chicken pox but NOT shingles.

Speak to HR cos that could be easily cleared up with factual information. Your colleague is worried but badly misinformed.

You can't pass it on unless you have it. You don't catch shingles from chicken pox but can catch chickenpox from shingles. Shingles can develop if you've had chickenpox in the past; you don't catch it.

Nah you're good

Show her the last paragraph at the bottom of this here