shingles!

[Pat2542]

A friend has just told me she has shingles. I have had the shingles vaccination and had chickenpox as a child. Should I avoid her? I am on Tozilizumab infusions

[medway-lady]

I believe that you can’t catch Shingles it’s a virus that lives on after contracting Chicken Pox. But it’s often better safe than sorry.

[helenv81]

nhs advice for someone with shingles is

Try to avoid:

anyone who is pregnant and has not had chickenpox before

people with a weakened immune system – like someone having chemotherapy

babies less than 1 month old

Once the rash has crusted over it is not contagious.

I had it on my forehead over Christmas last year. I checked with everyone who I was going to see if they were happy for me to see them and if I knew someone was vulnerable I wouldn’t see them.

[oldtimer2]

There may be some live virus in the shingles rash in the early stages; if it can be covered then it's not relevant. Once the rash has crusted over it appears that virus particles are unlikely to be present, so the person is deemed non-infectious.

You are relatively well protected anyway with the vaccine and history of infection as a child. .