It doesn’t spread in schools or even really among kids. It’s an STI basically. |
| Parvovirus is so ubiquitous that it is called “Fifth Disease” as in the 5th common disease of childhood. |
So we don't care at all about any virus now, unless it kills lots of kids? There's a lot of space between "society should be be centered around avoiding transmission of any infectious disease" and "everyone should simply ignore any infectious disease that doesn't kill lots of kids." |
Well what do you propose? |
No, it's called Fifth Disease because it's the fifth viral skin rash known to affect children in a list of six conditions. The list is as follows: Measles. Scarlet fever. Rubella (German measles). Dukes’ disease. Erythema infectiosum (fifth disease). Roseola. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15774-fifth-disease We have vaccinations against measles and rubella, obviously, and we have antibiotics against scarlet fever and Dukes' disease. |
How about: Keeping sick kids home, if possible. Staying home yourself when you're sick, if possible. Routine hand-washing. Wearing a mask if you're infectious with a respiratory disease. Improving ventilation in public spaces, including classrooms. Those seem like common-sense actions, to me. |
"Centering" around avoiding transmission of an incredibly common, mild childhood illness is an absurd overreaction. |
It is for pregnant women. It can absolutely lead to miscarriage and birth defects. |
It would be, if anybody were proposing to do that, which nobody is. |
You think the CDC is going to notify pregnant women? Okay. |
No I think people should keep their kids home when they present with symptoms of it and notify anyone who is pregnant that has been exposed to their child- that they personally know of- so that the OB can test them and monitor them for complications especially for the 50% of women who arent immune. If people think its just some silly virus they arent going to take keeping their kid home seriously nor doing the ethical thing of notifying pregnant women who may have been exposed- think teachers, coaches, moms of friends, etc. |
You have had it as a child. Your child will have it as a child. You were fine. They will be fine. |
There was leaded gas when I was a child. Am I fine? I suppose. Leaded gas is still something to try to prevent exposure to, though. |
^^^I also had chickenpox as a child, and I was fine, but I still had my children vaccinated against chickenpox. |
| Oh boy. Parvovirus has existed forever and nobody cared. I guess some people need something to freak out about always. FWIW I did tell my pregnant SIL when my son had parvo around the time she visited. I had never heard about it before and was googling. She was like “why are you telling me this.” She’s a doctor. |