Chicken Pox Vaccination Service
About this service
Weldricks Pharmacy is proud to offer the chickenpox vaccine to protect vulnerable groups and those at risk from the virus.
Course: The course consists of two doses.
Cost: £75 for a single dose, £140 for the full course (2 vaccinations).
Boosters: Once you have completed the two-dose course, you won’t need further boosters.
How it is given: An injection, usually given in the upper arm.
Side effects: The vaccine can cause a range of mild side effects, such as fever, tiredness or digestion problems. In some cases, it can cause a mild chickenpox-like rash.
Age restrictions: The chickenpox vaccine is suitable for patients from 1 years of age up to the age of 65. It is only recommended if you have not had chickenpox.
Please note: This vaccine is not suitable for pregnant women or women who are trying for a baby. The chickenpox vaccination should be administered on the same day as the MMR jab, or allow at least a 4-week gap in between these vaccinations.
Call now for more details and to book in for the vaccine at our Bawtry branch.
How does the chickenpox vaccine work?
The chickenpox vaccine works by preventing people from varicella zoster, the infectious disease that causes chickenpox.
Currently, two vaccines are available for chickenpox; the VARIVAX and VARILRIX chickenpox jab.
The chickenpox vaccine contains weakened versions of the virus that causes the disease. This is what is known as a LIVE vaccine. In order to protect yourself against chickenpox, the vaccine stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies to fight against the virus.
Through vaccination, your immune system learns how to fight the virus much more quickly than it would if you were to catch and then treat the disease. Once vaccinated, your immune system will continue to fight off the chickenpox virus for the rest of your life.
Who should have the chickenpox vaccine?
Children and adults who are in regular or close contact with someone who has chickenpox should be vaccinated against it. Officially, chickenpox vaccinations are not available on the NHS, but they are recommended if the person has a weakened immune system.
Individuals with chemotherapy, for example, are only provided with the vaccination if they are likely to come into contact with people who are highly susceptible to chickenpox.
In this way, chicken pox is less likely to spread to vulnerable groups.
On the NHS, chickenpox vaccinations are available to healthcare workers that are not immune to the virus and to close relatives and caregivers of people with an illness who have never had chickenpox disease.
What to expect from your chickenpox vaccine appointment
- Book an appointment at your nearest pharmacy offering the chickenpox vaccine.
- Attend your appointment and receive the first dose of your vaccine.
- Your pharmacist will book you in for the second dose of your vaccine a minimum of six weeks after your first dose.
- At this point, you’re fully vaccinated and protected from the chickenpox virus.
FAQs
For more information on the chickenpox vaccine, please read below.
At what age can you get the chickenpox vaccine?
All adults and children older than one year are eligible for the vaccination in the UK. The medication is administered in two doses, four weeks apart. A vaccine's brand and the age of the recipient determine the exact spacing between doses.
Can you get chickenpox after the vaccine?
It is possible for people who have been vaccinated against chickenpox to still contract this disease. It is important to note, however, that people who have usually been vaccinated suffer from milder symptoms. While red spots and sometimes blisters, do appear on the body, individuals usually do not exhibit a fever and are sick for a shorter time period.
When was the chickenpox vaccine created?
The varicella-zoster virus was first isolated in the 1950s, which led to efforts to eliminate chickenpox and shingles by vaccination. The development and distribution of vaccines for these illnesses took several decades. In 1995, the Food and Drug Administration approved the first chickenpox vaccine, and in 2006, the first shingles vaccine.
How long does the chickenpox vaccine last?
It is estimated that over 90% of children who receive both chickenpox vaccine doses acquire a lifetime immunity to chickenpox.
Around 75% of adults and teenagers who have received the chickenpox vaccine develop life-long immunity to it.
How effective is the chickenpox vaccine?
There is an 82% efficacy rate of the vaccine when it comes to preventing varicella, and it is effective against severe varicella almost 100% of the time.
Are there any side effects of the chickenpox vaccine?
There are several common side effects associated with the chickenpox vaccine:
- Approximately one in five children, one in four teenagers, and one in four adults may experience soreness and redness around the injection site
- A mild rash occurs in approximately one out of ten children, and one out of every twenty adults
- An elevated body temperature
Anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction, is a rare side effect of the chickenpox vaccine. The rate of these events is around one in a million among individuals who have received vaccinations.
There have already been millions of doses of the chickenpox vaccine administered, and no evidence exists that the vaccine increases the risk of developing long-term health problems.