Chickenpox (Varicella) Vaccine

The disease

Chickenpox is a highly contagious disease. It produces a fever, decreased energy and a characteristic rash. In rare cases chicken pox can lead to pneumonia, encephalitis (brain swelling) or death. The chickenpox vaccine is a great way to prevent these serious conditions.

The vaccine

The purpose of the chickenpox vaccine is to help prevent the disease. The chickenpox vaccine is 95 percent effective against severe disease. A small percentage of children who respond to the vaccine will still develop mild disease. Talk to your medical provider about where you can get a chickenpox vaccine.

Side effects

Some chicken pox vaccine side effects can include:

• Fever
• Soreness, redness, discomfort at site of injection
• A chickenpox-like rash (around five lesions) at the injection site or elsewhere on the body

More information

• CDC’s vaccine information on the varicella vaccine