A. According to the CDC, 'yes, people with shingles are contagious to persons who have not had chickenpox. Therefore, people who have not had chickenpox can catch chickenpox if they have close contact with a person who has shingles. However, you can not catch shingles itself from someone else. Shingles is caused by the chickenpox virus which has been dormant (staying quiet) in your body ever since you had chickenpox. So, you get shingles from your own chickenpox virus, not from someone else.'
In general, if you can keep all of the zoster lesions well covered, then the children won't have direct contact with them and shouldn't be at much risk. The American Academy of Pediatrics states that 'lesions that are covered appear to pose little risk to susceptible individuals.'
