Early chickenpox signs and symptoms to look out for in children as UK cases rise

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

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, Wales Online reports.

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.

Read more: Coronavirus cases rise by over 50 percent in one Greater Manchester borough

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