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Varicella (Chicken Pox)
Chickenpox is common and mostly affects children, but you can get it at any age. It usually gets better by itself after 1 to 2 weeks without needing to see a GP. An itchy, spotty rash is the main symptom of chickenpox. It can be anywhere on the body. Chickenpox happens in 3 stages. But new spots can appear while others are becoming blisters or forming a scab.
Stage 1: small spots appear
Stage 2: the spots become blisters
Stage 3: the blisters become scabs
Other symptoms
Before or after the rash appears, you might also get:
a high temperature
aches and pains, and generally feeling unwell
loss of appetite
Chickenpox is very itchy and can make children feel miserable, even if they do not have many spots.
The chickenpox spots look the same on children and adults. But adults usually have a high temperature for longer and more spots than children.
It's possible to get chickenpox more than once, but it's unusual.
What Vaccines are available?
The vaccine is recommended for people who are not immune to chickenpox and are in close contact with people at risk of becoming seriously ill if they catch it. For example, if you're having chemotherapy, any children you're in close contact with who are not immune to chickenpox should be given the chickenpox vaccine. This can reduce the risk of them getting the infection and spreading it to you.
The vaccine is also given to people who are not immune to chickenpox whose job puts them at risk of catching it.
This includes:
healthcare workers who are not immune to chickenpox and are in contact with patients (including cleaners, catering staff and receptionists)
laboratory staff who are not immune to chickenpox and who may be exposed to chickenpox through their work
The vaccine is not given to people with a weakened immune system as it contains a small amount of the live virus that causes chickenpox.
The virus in the vaccine is weakened so it's safe for most people, but it could make you ill if you have a weakened immune system.
Vaccine Schedules
The vaccine is given as 2 separate injections. The second dose should generally be given 6 - 8 weeks after the first dose. Under no circumstances should the interval between the doses be less than 4 weeks.
Prevention
The best way to prevent chickenpox is to get the chickenpox vaccine. Everyone—including children, adolescents, and adults—should get two doses of chickenpox vaccine if they have never had chickenpox or were never vaccinated.
Need to book more than one vaccine?
Please make a booking for a single vaccine and leave a note with the booking for the other vaccines you require. We will then call you to make other bookings.
Note: We offer a 5% discount for cash payments.
Please make sure you fill in the form in the appointment confirmation which you will recieve (as a link). This will allow us to do a risk assessement before your arrive and check all your travel requirements for a swift & safe appointment.
*Note*
Any Cancellation within 48 hours prior to appointment will incur a charge of 20% of total service cost.