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Chicken pox and flying

5 replies

Etak15 · 23/05/2015 11:35

Ok so we are the chicken pox house! Started just over a month ago with my dd (7) who didn't have too many spots was all over and done with back at school in a wk and scabs all gone, exactly 2 wks later 14/05 my other 2 dd's and ds all errupted in spots! We are off on hols flying on weds 27/05!! So thomas cooks chicken pox policy says: (I've summarised it a bit)children who have early signs of disease should not fly, once spots have scabbed are not infectious and fit to travel - usually 7 days'.
I have also read elsewhere that if you have recovered from infectious disease but still showing signs ie chicken pox scabs then you should have a note from gp.(although thomas cook don't specifically ask for one) The girls only have a few on there face and mostly on body, bum and surrounding areas etc all have scabbed early this wk, ds has them absolutely everywhere all over head face, body they also are all dry and scabbed but still very obvious looking.
So I know that none of them are contagious anymore but due to their appearance esp ds I am anticipating problems at the airport so I have an appointment on tues for all three at docs for fit to fly note - just in case we are asked. The problem is it has taken me all wk to try and get them an appt - the doctor kept trying to say it won't be necessary they will be past infectious stage I rang yesturday and they said will be fine spots will have faded by weds!! I insisted that they defo will not have faded esp ds, anyway I insisted and reluctantly they have given me appt but then nurse who I was speaking to said doc won't actually be able to write that they're not contagious will only be able to put for eg: mum says spots started in x date, etc I said well surely he can report on what he sees eg : all lesions crusted and dry etc, she said oh yes he can do that if the are. And surely a doctor can write 'in my opinion - blah blah blah'??
So all sounds very strange then when she actually made appointment i don't think it's the doctor she was actually taking advice off it was whoever she'd got us in with on tues. So my worries are now:
What if this doctor knows nothing about my previous million conversations and says he can't do a note ( not because there not fit to fly but just because he doesn't want to be the one to say it?)
And worried that if he does do a note but does specifically put 'not contagious' on it then it's of no use really?
So I'm after a bit of advice - has anyone had a fit to fly letter- what did it actually say on it?
I was thinking of drafting up what I want it to say and gently sugest that that's what they write?!!
For any gps on here is this a routine thing for someone to ask for ?because I feel that I've really had to struggle to get seen like I've asked for something totally out of the ordinary that's never been done in the history of medicine!!
I did expect that there would be a charge for this which I said I would be wiling to pay - as an nhs nurse myself I don't expect that my holiday worries comes before the health of others needing emergency appts etc that's why I tried to organise it last mon but I have been left dangling all wk! I think they thought I would go away!!
Anyway I'm rambling on now - any advice or previous experience of this prob anyone?

OP posts:
backinthebox · 24/05/2015 22:55

Being concise - get a letter confirming dates confirming dates of coming down with chickenpox. Spots will be well scabbed and on their way out by then. You will be fine. DS got the pox on day 1 of a 10 day holiday (which was fun. Not.) and no one even asked about his spots on the way back.

On an unrelated note - you'll get better responses if you get to the point quicker!

SoupDragon · 24/05/2015 23:00

No advice, but I think GPs charge for writing this kind of letter.

SoonToBeSix · 24/05/2015 23:08

Op said she would pay soup

TarkaTheOtter · 24/05/2015 23:15

Take the Thomas Cook guidelines with you. My GP just ask some what he needed to write. He would have been happy to write the note from day five.

Etak15 · 25/05/2015 00:24

Awe thought my story was nice lol yes I know rambled on - imagine living with me that's how I talk?! But I do it a million miles an hour before one of the kids interrupt me!! Ok well thanks for replies sounds reassuring I will prepare the facts to take to docs and print policy off. At least the girls don't look too bad now tbh you wouldn't know without investigating my little boy still looks very noticible though esp on his head quite dark scabs,

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