VACCINE INFORMATION STATEMENT

Varicella (Chickenpox) Vaccine:
What You Need to Know1

Why get vaccinated?

Varicella (also called chickenpox) is a very contagious viraldisease. It is caused by the varicella zoster virus. Chickenpox
is usually mild, but it can be serious in infants under 12months of age, adolescents, adults, pregnant women, andpeople with weakened immune systems.
Chickenpox causes an itchy rash that usually lasts about aweek. It can also cause: fever tiredness
 loss of appetite headacheMore serious complications can include: skin infections
 infection of the lungs (pneumonia)
 inflammation of blood vessels
 swelling of the brain and/or spinal cord coverings(encephalitis or meningitis)
 blood stream, bone, or joint infections
Some people get so sick that they need to be hospitalized. It
doesn’t happen often, but people can die from chickenpox.
Before varicella vaccine, almost everyone in the UnitedStates got chickenpox, an average of 4 million people eachyear.
Children who get chickenpox usually miss at least 5 or
6 days of school or childcare.
Some people who get chickenpox get a painful rash called
shingles (also known as herpes zoster) years later.
Chickenpox can spread easily from an infected person toanyone who has not had chickenpox and has not gotten
chickenpox vaccine.

2Chickenpox vaccine

Children 12 months through 12 years of age should get
2 doses of chickenpox vaccine, usually: First dose: 12 through 15 months of age
 Second dose: 4 through 6 years of age
People 13 years of age or older who didn’t get the vaccine
when they were younger, and have never had chickenpox,should get 2 doses at least 28 days apart.
A person who previously received only one dose ofchickenpox vaccine should receive a second dose tocomplete the series. The second dose should be given at least
3 months after the first dose for those younger than 13 years,

Many Vaccine Information Statements areavailable in Spanish and other languages.
See www.immunize.org/vis
Hojas de información sobre vacunas están
disponibles en español y en muchos otros
idiomas. Visite www.immunize.org/visand at least 28 days after the first dose for those 13 years ofage or older.
There are no known risks to getting chickenpox vaccine at
the same time as other vaccines.
There is a combination vaccine called MMRV thatcontains both chickenpox and MMR vaccines.
MMRV is an option for some children 12 months
through 12 years of age. There is a separate
Vaccine Information Statement for MMRV. Your
health care provider can give you more information.

3Some	people should not get
this vaccine

Tell your vaccine provider if the person getting the vaccine: Has any severe, life-threatening allergies. A person who
has ever had a life-threatening allergic reaction after a doseof chickenpox vaccine, or has a severe allergy to any partof this vaccine, may be advised not to be vaccinated. Ask
your health care provider if you want information about
vaccine components.
 Is pregnant, or thinks she might be pregnant. Pregnant
women should wait to get chickenpox vaccine until after
they are no longer pregnant. Women should avoid getting
pregnant for at least 1 month after getting chickenpox
vaccine.
 Has a weakened immune system due to disease (suchas cancer or HIV/AIDS) or medical treatments (such asradiation, immunotherapy, steroids, or chemotherapy).
 Has a parent, brother, or sister with a history of immune
system problems.
 Is taking salicylates (such as aspirin). People should
avoid using salicylates for 6 weeks after getting varicellavaccine.
 Has recently had a blood transfusion or received otherblood products. You might be advised to postpone
chickenpox vaccination for 3 months or more.
 Has tuberculosis.

U.S. Department ofHealth and Human Services
Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention Has gotten any other vaccines in the past 4 weeks. Livevaccines given too close together might not work
as well.
 Is not feeling well. A mild illness, such as a cold, is usually
not a reason to postpone a vaccination. Someone whois moderately or severely ill should probably wait. Your
doctor can advise you.

4Risks of a vaccine reaction

With any medicine, including vaccines, there is a chance ofreactions. These are usually mild and go away on their own,
but serious reactions are also possible.
Getting chickenpox vaccine is much safer than getting
chickenpox disease. Most people who get chickenpox
vaccine do not have any problems with it.
After chickenpox vaccination, a person might experience:
Minor events:
 Sore arm from the injection
 Fever Redness or rash at the injection site
If these events happen, they usually begin within 2 weeks
after the shot. They occur less often after the second dose.
More serious events following chickenpox vaccination
are rare. They can include: Seizure (jerking or staring) often associated with fever Infection of the lungs (pneumonia) or the brain and spinal
cord coverings (meningitis) Rash all over the body
A person who develops a rash after chickenpox vaccination
might be able to spread the varicella vaccine virus to an
unprotected person. Even though this happens very rarely,
anyone who gets a rash should stay away from people withweakened immune systems and unvaccinated infants until
the rash goes away. Talk with your health care provider tolearn more.
Other things that could happen after thisvaccine: People sometimes faint after medical procedures, including
vaccination. Sitting or lying down for about 15 minutes
can help prevent fainting and injuries caused by a fall. Tell
your doctor if you feel dizzy or have vision changes or
ringing in the ears.
 Some people get shoulder pain that can be more severe
and longer-lasting than routine soreness that can follow
injections. This happens very rarely.
 Any medication can cause a severe allergic reaction. Suchreactions to a vaccine are estimated at about 1 in a million
doses, and would happen within a few minutes to a few
hours after the vaccination.
As with any medicine, there is a very remote chance of a
vaccine causing a serious injury or death.

The safety of vaccines is always being monitored. For more
information, visit: www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/

5

What	
if there is a serious
problem?

What should I look for?
 Look for anything that concerns you, such as signs ofa severe allergic reaction, very high fever, or unusual
behavior.
Signs of a severe allergic reaction can include hives,
swelling of the face and throat, difficulty breathing, a fastheartbeat, dizziness, and weakness. These would usually
start a few minutes to a few hours after the vaccination.
What should I do?
 If you think it is a severe allergic reaction or otheremergency that can’t wait, call 9-1-1 and get to the nearest
hospital. Otherwise, call your health care provider.
Afterward, the reaction should be reported to the Vaccine
Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). Your doctor
should file this report, or you can do it yourself throughthe VAERS web site at www.vaers.hhs.gov, or by calling
1-800-822-7967.
VAERS does not give medical advice.

6The	
National Vaccine Injury
Compensation Program

The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program(VICP) is a federal program that was created to compensate
people who may have been injured by certain vaccines.
Persons who believe they may have been injured by avaccine can learn about the program and about filing a claim
by calling 1-800-338-2382 or visiting the VICP website atwww.hrsa.gov/vaccinecompensation. There is a time limit
to file a claim for compensation.

7

How can I learn more?

 Ask your health care provider. He or she can give you
the vaccine package insert or suggest other sources ofinformation.
 Call your local or state health department.
 Contact the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC):- Call 1-800-232-4636 (1-800-CDC-INFO) or- Visit CDC’s website at www.cdc.gov/vaccines

Vaccine Information Statement

Varicella Vaccine
2/12/2018

42 U.S.C. § 300aa-26

Office use only