I am confused so thought I woud start a new thread so you don't have to read al my nonsense.

[TheOriginalFAB]

I have shingles. I have had it more than a week. It is possible I caught it from a child who had chicken pox in the class I help with at school. I think it is more likely that I have it as I am stressed and run down. Am I infectious? How long do I have to stay out of school for? Am I confined to barracks? In the morning I am very stiff around the back and abdomen, is that due to shingles and what can I do as it is hard to get moving in a morning.

You can't give someone shingles. You can give them chicken pox. DH had it, he was told that he had to stay away from young DCs, pregnant women and the elderly. You can only get shingles if you have had chicken pox. Google it.

Look here-it tells you all you need to know.

Shingles are cause by the deactivation of chicken pox that has laid. Dormant in your body. You can't 'catch' shingles but for as long as the vesicles are wet you are infectious and can pass on chicken pox to those around you.

Shingles isn't particularly infectious. Well, it is but you get infected from the virus shedding from the blisters which, if they are covered by clothes (say if they're on your stomach) is unlikely.

Having said that, it's probably best to err on the side of caution and not go into a school.

As exoticfruits said, shingles is reactivated chickenpox virus which lies dormant in your system forever once you've had chickenpox so you don't "catch" it from anyone.

You can pass on chickenpox if you have shingles
You can't pass on shingles if you have chickenpox.

Hope you feel better soon.

X-post

Reactivation not deactivation!

What reactivates the virus though? Most adults have had chicken pox n childhood but in all the cases I've known, they have happened to people who have been in contact with chicken pox recently.

It's much more common if you're run down/immunocompromised.

DH wasn't in contact with chickenpox as far as he knows-he was a bit run down and stressed. (maybe he was just in the supermarket etc with someone with chicken pox-who knows?)

I didn't think there was a requirement to stay in isolation with shingles...as long as rash not exposed.

Chicken pox is spread by respiratory routes so very contagious to general public.

Shingles is only contagious by contact with blisters so as long as they are covered there is no issue.

Of course if you are feeling ill then you should take time off sick.

here is the official advice from bps which says pretty much that.

I did google, exoticfruits, but there are hundreds of pages and I prefer first hand experience.

I will have to take my children to and from school after today but should I cancel helping out on Friday? Also, I have a breast ultrasound booked for this Thursday, should I postpone that?

Did you ask your doctor these questions?

Thank you HLL.

I'd contact the school and the hospital and let them make the decision.

It should be much, much better by the end of the week anyway.

The doctor handed DH pages printed from internet-but find I couldn't find the particular ones.
I would cancel helping on Friday. Ring up and ask about the ultrasound.

Hospital ringing me back. They seemed very surprised that the doctor said I could go into school.

That could be because you spoke to a doctor who understands the transmission routes and hpa guidelines.

At the hospital I am assuming that you have probably spoken to a receptionist or other non medically qualified member of staff who's gut instinct is that it sounds highly contagious.

And sorry about typo in previous post...I should learn to proof-read from my phone...bps should have read hpa.

thestring the doctor said I could go into school but I forgot to ask him about the ultrasound.

Now DS2 is poorly.