Parents have been warned of a likely chickenpox outbreak following the end of Covid-19 restrictions in the UK. Chickenpox is a very common illness associated with children, but it can affect people of all ages.
While not usually serious, the disease is highly infectious and can cause itchiness and spotty rashes. The recent rise in cases in nurseries is being blamed on people mixing more frequently due to restrictions being lifted by the government.
Chickenpox is so infectious that, according to the NHS, you can catch it by simply being in the same room as an infected person - it can also be spread by touching things that have fluids from blisters on them such as tissues and bedding. Those with chickenpox can spread it for two days before spots appear or until they have all formed spots, roughly five days after they appeared.
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Furthermore, symptoms for chickenpox do not begin appearing for around one to three weeks after someone has caught it. A spokesman for Blackpool Council told the Lancashire Post that outbreaks were increasing across the country. He said: "One of the consequences of the lessening of restrictions around Covid-19 is that we are all now mixing more, and common infectious diseases such as chickenpox are spreading again in the community.
"In Blackpool, as in the rest of the country we are seeing an increase in cases with outbreaks reported in some childhood settings. As it is not a notifiable disease, we don’t have exact figures, however cases are increasing. It is common in children, but can also occur in adults.” Here's everything you need to know about chickenpox, including symptoms and treatment according to the NHS:
The three stages of chickenpox
An itchy, spotty rash is the main symptom of chickenpox. It can be anywhere on the body and happens in three stages:
Stage 1 : small spots appear
- The spots can be anywhere on the body, including inside the mouth and around the genitals, which can be painful
- spread or stay in a small area
- be red, pink, darker or the same colour as surrounding skin, depending on your skin tone
- be harder to see on brown and black skin
Stage 2: the spots become blisters
The spots fill with fluid and become blisters. The blisters are very itchy and may burst.
Stage 3 : the blisters become scabs
The spots form a scab. Some scabs are flaky while others leak fluid. The NHS also says before the rash appears, you may have a high temperature, aches and pain, a sense of generally feeling unwell, and a loss of appetite. The chickenpox spots look the same on children and adults, but adults usually have a high temperature for longer and more spots than children - it is possible to catch it twice, but this is unusual.
How to treat chickenpox at home
The key thing is that you need to stay off school, nursery or work until all spots have scabbed over. This usually happens five days after the spots have appeared.
The do's
- drink plenty of fluid (try ice lollies if your child is not drinking) to avoid dehydration
- take paracetamol to help with pain and discomfort
- cut your child's fingernails and put socks on their hands at night to stop them scratching
- use cooling creams or gels from a pharmacy
- speak to a pharmacist about using antihistamine medicine to help itching
- bathe in cool water and pat the skin dry (do not rub)
- dress in loose clothes
And the don'ts
- do not use ibuprofen unless advised to do so by a doctor, as it may cause serious skin infections
- do not give aspirin to children under 16
- do not go near newborn babies, people who are pregnant and people with a weakened immune system, as chickenpox can be dangerous for them
- do not scratch the spots, as scratching can cause scarring
You should speak to your GP if you're not sure if it is chickenpox or you are concerned about your child.
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