Chickenpox comes from the varicella zoster virus and its this virus that can reactivate in our bodies and cause shingles.
This is because once you’ve had chickenpox the varicella zoster virus stays in our system. It doesn’t cause us to get chickenpox again, but it can reactivate, usually when we are older, and we get shingles. You can catch chickenpox from someone who has shingles if you haven’t had chickenpox before.
The chickenpox virus is highly contagious. It is easily caught from touching clothes, bedding or towels or being with a person who has the virus. Once you’ve had chickenpox you can’t catch it again as your body develops an immunity to the disease.
Chickenpox starts off feeling a bit like flu with aches and pains and sometimes a temperature. You will probably be contagious from this time because you can spread chickenpox one or two days before spots appear. Some children, however, won’t get flu like symptoms, you won’t know they have chickenpox until the spots appear.
The spots are red and pinkish and soon turn into fluid-filled blisters. They feel very itchy. The blisters are filled with liquid which escapes when they burst. After a few days they dry up and form scabs.
The number of spots you have varies from person to person. Some people only have a few, whilst others have them all over their body. You won’t be contagious as soon as the scabs have dried up and the spots aren’t leaking any fluid. This is usually after about 5 days.
It’s rare. But it can cause complications for pregnant women, babies and people with a weakened immune system. Newborns could become very ill if the mother developed chickenpox close to the time of the birth or a few days afterwards.
Babies can become severely dehydrated or develop a bacterial skin infection. Other complications include pneumonia and encephalitis (inflammation of the brain).
Not usually. If there are no signs of complications, then chickenpox can be treated at home. Just make sure you or the person with chickenpox doesn’t go near anyone who is pregnant, newborn babies or a person with a weakened immune system.
Speak to the pharmacist about antihistamine medicine to help relieve the itching which is suitable for adults and children over the age of one year old. Cooling cream or gel for your spots will soothe the skin and reduce the urge to scratch. Scratching can cause skin infections or leave scars. If you are in pain, take paracetamol. Ibuprofen isn’t recommended for chickenpox because it could lead to skin infections.
Taking a cool bath will help discomfort, just make sure to pat the skin dry because rubbing can burst the blisters and cause skin infections or irritation.
A chickenpox vaccination will be available at VSM Pharmacy before the end of August 2025. If you want to check whether it is available, you can give the pharmacy a call on 01276 21002 or call in and speak to a member of staff.
The flu is much more than ‘just a bad cold’ and can claim the lives of thousands of people each year, particularly the old and the vulnerable. Yet, by receiving an annual flu vaccine from our pharmacy, you greatly reduce your risk of getting ill.
It As we’re getting through autumn and closer to winter you need to think about your vaccines against pneumonia and
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