Chickenpox at work - what to do?

[minitoot]

Hi, I usually work from home but also teach in a university part time. This term i am not teaching but am due to go in on the 16th and the 20th for supervisions and for interviews. However I have just been emailed that a member of staff has chickenpox. Should I not go in? The member of staff was diagnosed on 8th Feb. I will call my midwife and ask but just thougth I'd ask.

If you are one of the tiny proportion of adults who haven't had it, avoid but and talk to your midwife too because you could be coming into contact with it any time you're out in public.

If you have already had it, no problem. The nhs web page on chicken pox is very good about this.

People can get chicken pox twice. I would be wary personally. It is very dangerous for adults to get. My mother had it twice and got very ill. Speak to your midwife however because I have a feeling that chickenpox is one of those illness that once it's been diagnosed is already beyond the contagion phase?

My toddler had chicken pox when I was in the very early stages of this pregnancy. My doctor assured me that as I had had it as a child I was in no danger of catching it again, and that there was therefore no risk to my unborn baby.
It is certainly contagious before the dreaded pox actually appear - from about 3 days before the blisters appear, and remains contagious until the last blister has dried up.
Hope your midwife has put your mind at rest

You can have a blood test to see if you are immune. If not immune and you've already been exposed there is a vaccine which - I think - is still of some (but lesser) use after the exposure.

I was sub-12 weeks pg and exposed to someone with the virus (their spots appeared 48 hrs later). I just wanted someone to say "You've had it before, you're okay" but the advice from the GP was blood test and treat if found to be not protected.

My doctor was really blase about it when I rang about chickenpox in my work place. He just asked if I'd had it before and then said 'You're immune!' Abrupt but reassuring.

Thanks everyone. I rang the midwife today and left a message for her. I'm 99% sure I have had chickenpox, but yes you can get it twice - my brother had it and got it again just a couple of years ago as shingles and was really ill. But I also think you're right that once it is diagnosed it is past the contagion stage, so it hopefully won't be a problem.

Shingles is not exactly the same as chicken pox.

If you have had chicken pox, you can develop shingles at any time thereafter, although it usually only happens once.

You cannot 'catch' shingles from someone who has chicken pox. However, someone who has never had chicken pox can catch it from someone who has shingles.

I am pregnant (2nd trimester) and have just recovered from shingles.