To think it's bonkers to not vaccinate against chicken pox

This is COMPLETELY WRONG.

The chickenpox virus and the shingles virus are the same. You only get shingles if you've had chickenpox. The virus stays in your nervous system for life after having chickenpox. And gets reactivated in older age to produce shingles.

If you have chickenpox naturally, you will be at lifelong risk of shingles.

If you're vaccinated against chickenpox and don't catch it, you literally cannot have shingles as you don't have the virus in your body.

Molecular biologist and midwife here, by the way, in case anyone questions my credentials.

I so wish people who have no knowledge of virology or immunity would stop spreading misinformation. It is really damaging.

I’m not an anti vaxxer but I put yabu. I wouldn’t get a vaccine for it as it’s not that big of a deal to me. It’s very rare for someone to get seriously ill with it.

Nutjob

Mine are both vaccinated. The UK position on this is a historical anomaly seemingly influenced hugely by cultural legacy (chickenpox parties etc) and not medical science.

My eldest children weren’t vaccinated against pox as I wasn’t aware that there was vaccinations available, they were of the age that they weren’t entitled to the new meningitis vaccine that became available about 8 years ago, the youngest one was about 6 months too old to be included in the group that were entitled to them, all babies going forward were routinely vaccinated against it so we paid for them to both have it, it was really costly at the time several hundred per vaccination per child and they needed 2, we were really lucky as their grandparents paid for the 2nd dose.
I became aware that there was a chicken pox vaccine through an article but by then both of them had caught it.
we vaccinated our youngest against it before he started school with one vaccination to give him some protection, we couldn’t at the time stretch to 2 vaccinations and hoped that one vaccination would mean that if he did pick it up naturally then he would be more mildly affected. He’s been surrounded by it at school and hasn’t caught it yet, or at least hasn’t come out in the spots etc

I didn't know there was a vaccination for CP until we went to live in the USA in the early 2010s and the school wanted proof of vaccination for all sorts of things we don't vaccinate for in the UK. DCs had both had CP in their early years, so our GP wrote a supporting letter as evidence for the school.

@ThejoyofNC the part where you said you’re against all vaccines.

“The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recommends a universal varicella (chickenpox) vaccination programme should be introduce”

So soon we will have it.

They are adding it to the nhs schedule. JCVI have recommended it.

Also availability. I live in the Highlands and my nearest boots that does it is like 6 hours away. There is a superdrug that's 3 and half hours away by car

I suspect I didn’t go down the vaccine route as I didn’t know you could pay for one here. However if it’s £150 it would have been a struggle to be honest.

Both mine caught it but it didn’t cost me to look after them. First caught it on a bank holiday weekend so just meant we couldn’t go out. She was around 18 months I think. Probably caught from toddler group. I worked from home and DH worked shifts and my mum helped out so between we had it covered - and the fact it was bank holiday. Youngest caught it in y2. Her half sister had caught it exactly 3 weeks before and by the time we realised the half sister had it we kind of expected it. I worked 2 days so again didn’t really effect me as I was home and DH had her the other time as he wasn’t at work on the days needed. Unfortunately we were the people who spread it round the class just in time for the Xmas holidays. So most of the class came down with it over the school break.

it spreads because you don’t know you have it whilst most contagious before the spots appear. By the time the spots come it’s too late not to have passed it on.

I also grew up in a time where people held chicken pox parties to get it over and done. Not saying that was good practise back then. But it happened. As soon as one child got it on the street everyone went to play at that house to catch it and get it over and done.

Shingles is a pretty horrific side effect, I was lucky not to lose sight in one eye. Sure it rarely happens to children but it can do, and it can happen at any point in adulthood, not just when you're elderly and eligible for the shingles vaccine. So prevent chickenpox in the first place is far better.

Having chickenpox naturally is how you can get shingles as an adult - vaccination is how you avoid it (potentially still possible but far far less likely)

Because you are better immune if you have had it naturally therefore less chance to have shingle as an adult that can be very dangerous.

@Do88byisfree - also in Aus. Chickenpox aka Varicella has been part of the schedule for many years. My kids received theirs when we returned home from the Netherlands where they still hold chickenpox parties. My kids are 18, 18 & 20. Two are doing nursing and have had to have their immunity tested. It’s still going strong. (Pretty sure they were 2 and 4 when they had them.)

www.google.com/search?q=varicella+vaccine+australia&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-gb&client=safari

Best reason to vaccinate is that you only catch shingles if you have had chickenpox so it is to potentially avoid 2 connections.

The vaccine is offered to the elderly to reduce the risk of Shingles.

Not sure what's terrifying about it tbh.

The expense

Because immunity from the natural infection is much more long lasting and effective. Plus there are some dodgy side effects for some takers- not many but then not many children suffer severe side effects of chicken pox.

Right?
Terrifying comment.

My son is a teen and has never had it. I heard recently about the vaccination and am planning to get it for him as a few weeks off in secondary school could be problematic for him. I’m not concerned about work or having to look after him as my work is flexible. I just think at this age or older it could be horrid.
it’s definitely worth the cost. Maybe the NHS should consider funding for those who receive benefits or something similar.

Christ

Me and my four brothers all had it one after the other - my poor parents!

DS1 & DS2 both unvaccinated (born in the UK and I did not know there was a vaccine). Both had it - awful illness with scarring and secondary illnesses. They got it back to back so a good 3 weeks.

DD born in South Africa - vaccinated (standard Vax). Never had it. No scarring, no awful secondary illness, no sleepless nights for three weeks.

No brainer.