Is the chickenpox vaccination still effective?
Hello. I'm 22 years old and unfortunately, I've never had chickenpox. Yesterday, I was in the same room as my nephew for four hours, always unconsciously keeping our distance; we never came closer than 1 meter. Over time, he developed a slight fever and felt unwell, so I kept my distance even further, fearing the worst – since his schoolmates also had chickenpox. Today, he already has a few red spots all over his body…
I'm really worried that I might have caught chickenpox. I read online that you can get vaccinated quickly five days after contact with an infected person. I briefly considered it. But now I see in my vaccination record that I got an MMR booster (for measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox) in 2006 (when I was six years old).
Now I'm wondering if this vaccination might still protect me? Of course, a vaccination will never provide 100% protection, but what do you think – could this vaccination reduce my chances of getting chickenpox now? Or should I have had another booster? Thank you for your answers.
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If you have only received a vaccination against windpox, this does not protect as safe as the recommended two vaccinations, but since the windpox is highly contagious, after vaccination you have come into contact with the viruses one or the other time, which would have “boostered” protection every time.
I don’t think you have to worry. Look again in the vaccination pass, whether you haven’t got a first vaccination as a toddler.
By the way, the distance is completely irrelevant – the windpokes are called because they can be transmitted over a greater distance (“with the wind”).
Yeah, I got a MMR vaccination as a toddler, or I wouldn’t have a refreshment inside, would I? I lost my vaccination pass once, and got a new one with the most important registered vaccinations. And refreshment presupposes you’ve already got it. Thank you for your answer!