Date last reviewed:
Tuesday, May 28, 2024
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Disease it protects against
The chickenpox vaccine protects against:
- Chickenpox (varicella)
Chickenpox (also known as varicella) is a very contagious infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus. Chickenpox is usually a mild disease, but in some cases, it can cause serious problems. Learn more about chickenpox.
Fact
Did you know?
Children with chickenpox can have on average 350 red, itchy blisters. Infection in newborns, teenagers, adults, pregnant women and those with weakened immune systems is more severe.
Who should get the vaccine
| Age | Schedule |
|---|---|
| Infants & young children |
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| School-age children & teens |
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| Adults |
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Information
Chickenpox can be serious
Chickenpox is usually a mild disease. But in some cases, it can cause serious problems, such as pneumonia (lung infection), encephalitis (swelling of the brain), and bacterial infections of the skin. It doesn’t happen often, but people can die from chickenpox.
What if I or my child have had chickenpox disease?
Children who had chickenpox disease before their 1st birthday should still get the vaccine. They may not have developed a long-lasting immunity and could get chickenpox again.
People who had chickenpox or shingles disease at 1 year of age or older do not need to get the vaccine if:
- They had chickenpox disease before 2004 or
- The disease was confirmed by a lab test.
Fact
Did you know?
Before the chickenpox vaccine was available, 1500 to 2000 chickenpox-related hospitalizations occurred every year in Canada.
Safety
Vaccine safety is a top priority in Canada. Every vaccine must be shown to be safe and effective before it is approved for use in Canada. After approval, the safety of vaccines is continuously monitored. Learn more about vaccine safety.
Fact
Vaccines are very safe
Getting the vaccine is much safer than getting one of the diseases.
Side effects
Many people have no side effects from vaccines. For those that do, they are usually mild and go away on their own within a few days. Serious side effects are very rare.
Side effects of the chickenpox vaccine may include:
- Soreness, redness and swelling where the vaccine was given.
- Mild fever and a rash, which looks like chickenpox but with fewer spots, can occur about 2 weeks after the vaccine.
Very rarely, a person who develops a rash after getting the chickenpox shot can spread the virus from the chickenpox vaccine. To prevent spreading it to others, cover the rash until the blisters have dried and crusted over.
It is important to stay in the clinic for 15 minutes after getting any vaccine because there is an extremely rare chance of a life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. If anaphylaxis happens, you will be given medicine to treat the symptoms.
Let your immunization provider/clinic or health care provider know if you or your child have any serious or unexpected side effects after immunization.
How to manage side effects
For information on how to manage side effects, view the immunization aftercare sheets below.
Who should not get the vaccine
Speak to your health care provider if you or your child:
- Have had a life-threatening reaction to a previous dose of the chickenpox vaccine, or any part of the vaccine, including neomycin or gelatin.
- Have an immune system weakened by disease or medical treatment.
- Have had a blood transfusion or received other blood products within the past 12 months.
- Have active untreated tuberculosis.
- Are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. People should avoid becoming pregnant for 1 month after getting the chickenpox vaccine.
There is no need to delay getting immunized because of a cold or other mild illness. However, if you have concerns, speak with your health care provider.
Is it better to get chickenpox disease than the vaccine?
Some people think natural infection (getting chickenpox disease) is better than getting the vaccine, but getting the chickenpox vaccine is much safer than getting the disease.
- Complications from chickenpox can be serious and can occur in any person who develops chickenpox, although they are more common in babies, teenagers, adults, pregnant women and those with weakened immune systems.
- Complications from chickenpox can include pneumonia (lung infection), encephalitis (swelling of the brain), and bacterial infections of the skin. It doesn’t happen often, but people can die from chickenpox.
- Rarely, infection early in pregnancy can result in a baby being born with birth defects. This is known as congenital varicella syndrome. Chickenpox can also cause miscarriage or stillbirth.
Chickenpox disease quick facts
- What is chickenpox?
-
Chickenpox is an infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus.
- How does chickenpox spread?
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It spreads easily through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. You can become infected when you breathe in this air or touch contaminated surfaces. The virus may spread through contact with an infected person's saliva, such as by sharing food, drinks or cigarettes, or by kissing. It also spreads through contact with the fluid from chickenpox or shingles blisters.
- What are the symptoms?
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Symptoms of chickenpox may include fever, aches, tiredness, headache and loss of appetite. A few days later, a rash appears. Red spots appear first on the face and scalp and then spread quickly down the body and to the arms and legs. The spots become very itchy and begin to look like blisters filled with clear fluid. After another few days, the fluid becomes cloudy, the blisters break, and a crust or scab forms while the skin heals. During this time, new "crops" of spots appear, form blisters, and then crust over. Chickenpox usually lasts about 10 days.
- What are the risks of the disease?
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Complications from chickenpox include:
- Pneumonia (lung infection).
- Encephalitis (swelling of the brain).
- Bacterial infections of the skin.
Rarely, infection early in pregnancy can result in a baby being born with birth defects. This is known as congenital varicella syndrome. Babies may have a low birth weight, scars and problems with their limbs, eyes and brain. Chickenpox can also cause miscarriage or stillbirth.For some people, the virus can become active again later in life and cause a painful rash called shingles.
