Would you vaccinate against chickenpox?

[DieAntword]

The aeroplane thread made me think about this and I was reading about it. So they don’t think that people immune via vaccination will get shingles (or significantly more rarely than full chicken pox cases). Is this a no brainer then? Kids won’t get sick and they won’t get shingles later either? The only reason it’s not on the nhs is to stop adults who had full chickenpox as children getting shingles due to exposure? Is it ethical to use kids as a viral vector that way 🤔?

Apart from it costing money is there any reason not to do it?

My US family think it's mad and a little barbaric that we don't vaccinate against CP.

Stupomax, how old is your Son? Mine's only 2 so I can always hope they start vaccinating boys on the NHS too by then but given the crisis the NHS is in I doubt it.

My son is 13 and is due for his second shot any minute now - I think because he's under 14 he'll only need 2 shots. The CDC is recommending it for girls and boys now. www.cdc.gov/hpv/parents/vaccine.html

I think they may be starting it in Scotland too (hpv for boys)

My US family think it's mad and a little barbaric that we don't vaccinate against CP.

I'd have to agree with them.

I think so too.

I've had my two children vaccinated against it, for the reasons people have given above - I can afford it so why not protect them against a potentially nasty illness, I wanted to avoid the time off work and having to keep two boisterous kids in for any length of time, and most of all to avoid having it hanging over every family holiday etc. The practice nurse was absolutely gobsmacked when I mentioned it to her when DS2 had his preschool booster jabs, and told me it was ridiculous and that children need to catch CP to be immune in later life etc. She had literally never heard of anyone having the vaccination in this country! Bizarre.

Mind you DS2 was later diagnosed with CP by a GP, but I don't think it was - i reckon it was a different viral rash which had got infected. It wasn't itchy for one thing.

A Dr on BBC Breakfast ages ago explained that the reason the NHS doesn't vaccinate against CP isn't because the vaccine itself is less effective against Shingles. It's because the existence of the virus bumping around you and periodically activating your immune system against it means that you will be in better shape against shingles when you are older. So it's other people's CP which helps you out, as opposed to your particular vaccine.

I would have done it if it was available on the NHS or we'd had the spare funds. I had been planning to do it after the teen vaccines if they hadn't caught it be then, I was worried about the stories of increased complications with age, but my oldest caught it when he was 2 and the others caught it last year.

For the HPV vaccine, you can get it done privately for boys but there have over the last few years been times when new patients weren't taken on due to shortages. Boys should be able to get it on the NHS from next autumn. It says 12-13 year olds, and I haven't seen any reports on whether it will be available for older boys (girls I believe can get it up to 18, many of us are hoping the rules for boys will be similar).

A Dr on BBC Breakfast ages ago explained that the reason the NHS doesn't vaccinate against CP isn't because the vaccine itself is less effective against Shingles. It's because the existence of the virus bumping around you and periodically activating your immune system against it means that you will be in better shape against shingles when you are older. So it's other people's CP which helps you out, as opposed to your particular vaccine.

Gets trotted out a lot. This is worth a read if you really think that's true
www.theguardian.com/science/occams-corner/2014/may/15/real-reason-british-public-chickenpox-vaccine-shingles

Bruffin Thank you. The penny has now dropped that's what happened.

Came across a few cases of BP when I worked in the NHS, but until now I hadn't even thought there was a link.

I didn't because I was worried about it becoming ineffective in later life but now they have both had it I wish I had got it done. They both had really bad cases and have ended up with scars. My youngest was worse as she wouldn't have anything to sooth the pain. It can be a really horrible illness.

Good article Stupomax. It's daft to allow children to get sick and suffer because it might benefit adults. Lots of adults have no regular contact with children anyway. Our experience in the US that widespread CP vaccination has not led to an increase in shingles cases here.

Here it's typically given as part of the MMR vaccination, all in a single dose, so the increased cost is minimal.

A bit off topic, but the quadrivalent flu vaccine for this season is now available in the US. I had my jab yesterday. The flu was so virulent last year, with record pediatric mortality rates, that I recommend you get it for you and your kiddos as soon as it's available to you.

Will absolutely be getting flu vax this year. DD got flu last year but she'd been vaccinated so she only got a mild dose and recovered fairly quickly. Her whole school ended up being closed for a week because so many got sick.

Good. Here's the CDC page for this year's flu season:

Frequently Asked Flu Questions 2018-2019 Influenza Season

There are some trivalent flu vaccines this year. Try to get the quadrivalent version if you can.

I'm not in any risk groups for flu but I still get a flu vaccine every year, herd immunity is better for infections like this. I think it was £5 last year in asda.

I remember my mother being seriously unwell with flu in 1984/5 and the gp saying if there was a bed in the hospital he would have admitted her but there wasn't. She would have been 42 or so. She wasn't in any flu risk groups either.