Question

MissAnthrope's avatar

Is there a chicken pox vaccine?

Asked by MissAnthrope (6310points) | asked October 5th, 2008 | 12 responses | “Great Question” (0points) | Flag as…

I never had it when I was a kid. The older I get, that I still haven’t gotten it, the more worried I am that I’ll get it when I’m 70 and die a ridiculous death.

Vaccine?

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Answers

augustlan's avatar

There is a vaccine now. I think it depends on how old you are, as to whether or not you should get it.

eambos's avatar

Yes there is a vaccine. They give it to you as a young child. I think it also prevents shingles, which is a very painful adult form of chicken pox.

maybe_KB's avatar

chicken pox

MissAnthrope's avatar

Bah.. I should have just Googled it. Lazy me..

The following people should probably receive the varicella vaccine if they have never had chickenpox:

* Older children, adolescents and adults
* Healthcare or day care workers
* Teachers
* College students
* Military personnel
* Inmates and staff of correctional institutions
* Women of childbearing age who are not pregnant (women should avoid pregnancy for 1 month following the vaccine)
* Anyone traveling to other countries outside the United States

http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/healthy/vaccines/193.html

gailcalled's avatar

My daughter contracted it recently in her late thirties. Apparently she never caught it from her older brother when they were young. She almost attacked me physically for not having exposed her to it when she was a baby, even tho I had. Her case, as an adult, was nasty.

MissAnthrope's avatar

Yeah, that’s what I’m worried about.. the longer I go, the worse it’s going to be when I do finally get it. It’s so contagious, I know it’s inevitable.

gailcalled's avatar

Get the vaccine, if Doc says it’s OK.

JackAdams's avatar

Without wishing to sound like some kind of “wiseguy,” there is a vaccine for everything.

It is just that some of them are in the future, awaiting discovery.

drhat77's avatar

Yay! JackAdams is cured! I missed you, jack!

gimmedat's avatar

I got chicken pox when I was eight months pregnant!! That was before the vaccine and I had never gotten pox as a kid. SUCKED!

bythebay's avatar

If an adult had shingles, would they be immune to contracting chicken pox?

casheroo's avatar

You can’t get shingles if you’ve never had chicken pox.
You can get shingles if you’ve had the varicella vax or had the actual chicken pox
Shingles is contagious. By exposure to the open sores. But you would end up getting the Chicken pox or if you’re an adult and never had the CP you would get it in the form of chicken pox.

I hope you got your varicella vax. I’ve had chicken pox, so I’m not worried. I’ve also been exposed to shingles and didn’t get it. My son will not get the varicella vax, we’d rather him get actual chicken pox. If he doesn’t get it by the time he’s 8 or 10, we’ll get the vax.

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