Colleague has shingles!!!

[AmIGoingMad]

I'm 17wks tomorrow and have just been told my colleague who works opposite me has shingles. She's expected in tomorrow. I've had chicken pox and have been told that this means baby and I will both be ok. Is this right? Does anyone have any experience of this?

Shingles are far less infectious than chicken pox. Chicken pox causes viral shedding over a large area, as the virus is airborne, so spread through coughs and sneezes. Shingles can cause someone to get chickenpox, if there is contact with the vesicles. However, as you have had chickenpox before, you are not at risk of getting it from your shingley colleague. And she cannot give you shingles, so you should be OK. Just don't touch her

you are in the safe period of your pregnancy - don't worry! Would be worse for baby if you in last few weeks or you had just conceived! Just keep your immune system supported and you'll be fine.

If you are not immune to chickenpox you can catch it from someone with shingles. As Poledra said, if you've had chickenpox it is extremely likely that you are immune to it now. You can't get shingles from someone else so no risk there.

Do you know though if your employer has publicised the colleague's condition and return to work more widely? Just in case there are other colleagues who may be PG (but not have told work yet) and not had chickenpox?

That's reassuring thank you! It's a pretty gossipy place to be honest so I think most people know now. The ones who have daily contact with her definitely know. It's one worry after another isn't it?!
Thanks again for replies

You cannot catch chicken pox from a person with shingles if you have already had it (same way you don't catch chicken pox from a person with chicken pox if you've already had it). You cannot catch shingles from a person with shingles (it's a latent condition that can occur to anyone if they've had chicken pox in their life, but it comes from within, not from outside infection). Hope that helps.

I had the same issue with a friend who had shingles and we had all paid for an expensive weekend away together when I was pg. my dr kindly did a blood sample for me to check I had the anti bodies to chicken pox to make sure I would be safe which I did. This was because I could not specifically recall whether I had ever had chicken pox or not but if you know you have then should be fine.

I had shingles when I was a student I worked in a fashion shop (topshop) and was told not to come in for 2 weeks because I was dealing with the public and also the girl that worked in the office was 7 months pregnant I was a bit pissed off as it was unpaid but I understood.
I'm sure the above posters know better than me but that was the protocol for it so I would assume there is some risk.
Perhaps you could ask to be moved or maybe ask your midwife for advice I rang my midwife about seeing my godson when I was pregnant after he had meningitis x

you are fine as you have had chicken pox. someone had shingles when i was pregnant at about the same time as you. isought advice from the gp.

Thanks all so much for your replies. Have managed to speak to my gp and he said the same as the majority if you have. I've had chicken pox so I should be fine and shouldn't worry. Still think that she would be better off not coming into work anyway though- to let herself recover fully!