What would you do in this situation?

[Ozziehoffy]

I hope this isn't too confusing lol. I'm after a bit of feedback and what others would possibly do.

Someone I know and her little boy have been in contact with someone who had german measles (rubella). This was last Tuesday. I googled it to check incubation period etc. expecting it to be 7-10 days like a lot of those things appear to be. Well, WRONG..., I was surprised by the incubation period and also the contagiousness of this.... this is what I found: (I'm pasting so I don't get it wrong)

Incubation
The incubation period for rubella is 14-23 days, with an average incubation period of 16-18 days. This means that it can take 2-3 weeks for a child to get rubella after they are exposed to someone with the disease.


Contagiousness
The rubella virus passes from person to person through tiny drops of fluid from the nose and throat. People who have rubella are most contagious from 1 week before to 1 week after the rash appears. Someone who is infected but has no symptoms can still spread the virus

Ok, so this means that they were in contact almost a week ago now and will probably be at playgroup this week (Thursday) which puts it in the possible high risk category of passing it on if either of them have caught it. This is how I read it from what I found on it anyway. So, my question really is this... what would you do?? Would you avoid playgroup JIC? Do you think that would be OTT or not? I have a 5 month old (not to mention a 2 yr old also) who really doesn't need to be getting exposed to this lovely illness! Also if they do go and one of them has it (but obviously wouldn't actually know at that stage) and they pass it onto another there who then goes the following week (again wouldn't know but would be possibly contagious by then), how long would you not be going or would you still go? I'm not sure I'm comfortable going even though there's no guarantee either of them have it or if I'm being silly even contemplating this whole possible scenario. Does this mother have a responsibility and a duty of care to the rest of the playgroup to isolate themselves from the group until the 3 wk possible incubation period is up? What would you do? What are your thoughts?

[Laranna]

If you're uncomfortable about going this week, then give it a miss. I would do the same. If I knew DS had been in contact with someone with rubella, I'd keep him away from everyone for a good couple of weeks.

On the other hand, you can't avoid playgroup or other public situations forever, you wouldn't have a life! But while you know the other child has been exposed and could potentially infect others, then keeping your family away for a few days isn't so over the top. If the other mothers knows, I think she should be keeping away from public until the incubation period is up.

[Pandora]

I wouldnt go, but they shouldnt be going either. Especially if she knows. What if someone there is pregnant and hasnt announced it yet?
Milo was exposed to chicken pox at daycare, as was all the other kids in his group, so he could go there but I had to keep him out of playgroup for 21 days.

[Just Me]

I would be inclined not to go - but that's just me. I guess I would wonder where you have to draw the line though because if they have gotten it and do go to playground and infect the rest of playgroup, it could be a while until everyone at playgroup is not at risk. Could you contact the playgroup co-ordinator and have a chat to them about what she thinks? The biggest risk would be to other pregnant mums who are not immune to the disease.

I think Eluned makes a really good point about not being able to avoid public situations forever ... we are probably exposed to all sorts of things that we don't know about all the time and nothing comes of it.

I don't envy your situation. Honestly, I don't know enough about how disease is spread to know what the right course of action would be in this case. I stopped going out to places where there were lots of people while I was pregnant because swine flu was so prevelant here and my ob pretty much told me to stop going out ... but me and my whole family caught it anyway. Sometimes I think you can do everything to avoid something and still end up catching it.

[CrazyLady]

I would steer clear. It's really not worth the risk if you feel they could have contracted it. I feel it is a completely different situation from going out to the shops etc because you know risk is increased.

[Ozziehoffy]

rayray, you know you raise a REALLY good point. There is one girl who only recently announced to the everyone she was pg... I already knew but most of the others didn't.

Eluned, I'm the same, if I KNEW we'd been in contact with someone then we would not be going because I think that is polite and the right thing to do by others. I'm not talking about avoiding everything lol... we still go to the shops etc, it's more about playgroup where I know this child has been in contact with it.

Thanks girls, I will try to find out the day before if she's planning on going and if she is then we won't go this week. I don't want us possibly getting it if one of them does indeed have it. It would be different if it happened but it was from someone who didn't even know they'd been in contact with it.