IMMUNIZATION – YOUR BEST PROTECTION

Also see Varicella Q&A for Parents and Caregivers 

Vaccines are the best way to protect against some very serious diseases. Protect against chickenpox with this safe and effective vaccine.   

In Ontario, the chickenpox vaccine is publicly funded for: 

• Children at 15 months of age (routine schedule)
• Children:
  • born on or after September 1, 2003 OR
  • 5 years of age on or after January 1, 2005, who have not yet had the natural disease.

It is available at a cost to:

• adolescents and adults who have never had natural disease: one dose today and one dose one month from today (schedule for 13 years and older) 

What is chickenpox?

• An illness caused by the varicella-zoster virus
• People with chickenpox get an itchy rash or spots on their skin. The spots are like small water blisters. Some people have only a few blisters whereas others can have as many as 500. These blisters dry up and form scabs in 4 or 5 days
• Although usually a mild childhood illness, complications from chickenpox include skin infections, swelling of the brain and pneumonia. Chickenpox disease is more severe in adolescents and adults, especially pregnant women. 

How is chickenpox virus spread?

Spread by close contact between people through coughing and sneezing or by touching the blister itself or liquid from the blister.

How safe is the chickenpox vaccine?

Vaccines are among the safest of modern medicine.  The only individuals who should NOT receive the chickenpox vaccine are those who:

• are ill with a fever or infection
• have had a severe allergic reaction (called anaphylaxis) to a past dose of this vaccine or any of its components (gelatin or an antibiotic called neomycin)
• are under 1 year of age
• is taking medication or has a disease that lowers the body’s ability to fight infection
• has received blood or blood products within the past 5 months
• has received the Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR), Yellow Fever, or Japanese Encephalitis vaccine in the past month
• is pregnant.  If a woman receives the chickenpox vaccine and then discovers she is pregnant, she should call her doctor. Women should avoid pregnancy for three months following vaccination.

What are the side effects that I should watch for after vaccination?

Serious side effects from the vaccine are very rare (1:1,000,000). Most children and adults have no problems following vaccination. Possible side effects include:

• redness and soreness where the needle was given
• chickenpox-like rash, developing within the first 2 weeks following vaccination.  If a rash develops, it should be kept covered.  If covering the rash is not possible, contact with high-risk people should be avoided.
• fever
• febrile seizures as a result of a prior fever, not of the vaccine
• salicylates (Aspirin®) should be avoided for 6 weeks following vaccination unless prescribed by a physician
• allergic reactions (ie. hives, swelling, and difficulty breathing) occur very rarely. If these symptoms occur, seek medical attention immediately     

Call your doctor if you develop any symptoms that are severe or last more than a few days.  Please note that serious side effects are very unlikely to occur and the benefits of the vaccine are much greater than the risks.

If you choose to have this vaccine today, it is required that you wait for three months before donating blood.

For more information on this vaccine, contact Public Health and ask to speak to a Nurse in the Vaccine Preventable Diseases Program.