Over two thirds of people under age 50 worldwide have herpes type 1, largely because it's so easily spread. You can get herpes not just from sex but also from kissing, even if the kisser doesn't have a cold sore.
Of course, if nobody with herpes ever kissed anyone, the world would be practically devoid of physical affection. For the most part, kissing someone with herpes doesn't pose a high risk. Most people with the STI don't have symptoms, and if they do, they're easily managed with medication. For adults, that is. For babies, it's a different story.
A woman named Amy Stinton recently shared a photo of her 14-month-old son after he ended up in the hospital due to a herpes-induced rash.
"This is what happens to babies when [they've] been in contact with a cold sore," she wrote. "Oliver now has the herpes virus and will have this for life. Think before you kiss a baby next time."
He was "very very sore," she commented on the post. "If we had left it, he would be in intensive care."
According to the National Library of Medicine, babies infected with herpes really can get "very sick." The rashes can keep coming back even after treatment, and some develop learning disabilities.
People are sharing Stinton's post so people know how to avoid unintentionally spreading herpes to kids. In fact, since so many people have herpes without even knowing it, we're probably better off just not kissing other people's babies.