Chicken Pox

[eggcup5]

Hi does anyone know when it is safe to go out when you have chicken pox? Is it when they are all scabs or when all the scabs have dropped off?

[scubadiver]

You are still contageous until the last of the spots have crusted over

[magicdice]

i heard you're only contagious up until they appear. that's why they can't prevent kids with chickenpox from flying - because this shows that they're not contagious any more

[scubadiver]

You are definately contageous before all the spots (vesicles) have crusted over. The fluid in the vesicles contain live virus, which is one of the methods of passing the virus on (the other being by aerosol, due to there often being vesicles in the throat & mouth).

That means that you are contageous from 4 days before the onset of the rash , until the last vesicles crust over (usually around 5 days after the start of the rash). Incidentally, the incubation period is 16 days prior to start of rash