Chicken Pox Vaccine

[uncomfortablydumb53]

I have 3 DS's 2 of whom had chicken pox as toddlers, but somehow DS3 hasn't succumbed
He is now 18 and just started uni and I'm wondering if I should advise( and pay for) him to get the vaccinations
I understand they're available at Boots
Any advice or experiences very welcome

I’d get it. My kids had the vaccine when they were little and when my smallest one had chicken pox at three months (because he hadn’t been vaccinated yet due to his young age) my two older girls had a fever one day and were fine the next, because the vaccine gave them protection.

Definitely get it. My DD (6) had it over the summer. No side effects other than a sore arm.

Yes, I would get it for him. One of the concerns of the chicken pox vaccine in children is there is inconclusive evidence that immunity is lifelong (as is the case for most who actually catch chicken pox). I work in clinical research, I'm not just some anti-vaxxer making this stuff up. Some studies show immunity can last as little as 8 years, to up to 20+ years, meaning the risk of having a non-immune adult population (it's why not all countries routinely offer it at the population level). This is the case with many vaccines (I just found out I was no longer immune to measles and had to get the MMR again as a nearly 40 year old - because I work in the NHS and have to be immune). But chicken pox is particularly serious as an adult infection and particularly to women of reproductive age. The good thing is now that he's as old as he is, he'll likely have immunity that lasts him through a good bit of adulthood. He should just remember in 20 ish years time, he'll probably need a booster, but better to get it now that leave it up to chance.