Frequently Asked Questions

The most common symptoms of chickenpox are rash, fever, headache, and loss of appetite. The rash usually develops on the trunk and face, and then spreads to the rest of the body. The rash first appears as many small, itchy, red bumps which turn into fluid-filled blisters. Several different groupings, or crops, of these blisters can appear over the following few days. Chickenpox illness lasts about five to ten days. Most children are uncomfortable for the duration of the disease. Children should be kept out of school or childcare until all blisters are dried and crusted over.

Persons with chickenpox are contagious for one to two days before the rash appears and continue to be contagious until all the blisters are crusted over, usually in four to seven days after rash onset.

It is spread from person to person by direct contact or through the air by coughing or sneezing. It is highly contagious. Direct contact spread of the virus occurs when a non-immune person is exposed to the fluid from blisters of a person who either has chickenpox or shingles. A person who has never had chickenpox will develop chickenpox when exposed to the virus for the first time, including exposure to shingles.

There is a special vaccination (VariZIG) that can be used to protect people at risk for complications who cannot be vaccinated using the traditional vaccine.