Varicella is an acute respiratory infection caused by varicella-zoster virus that occurs mainly in children. It is spread by airborne droplets, close contact and placental transmission. Once the virus is introduced into schools and childcare facilities, it spreads rapidly and can easily cause local outbreaks. Chickenpox has a high incidence in spring and autumn, and cases are mainly found in children under 15 years of age.
The correct way to receive chickenpox vaccine
The variation of “chickenpox” has caught parents off guard, and after one varicella vaccination, chickenpox cannot be avoided.
Chickenpox is highly contagious during the infant and preschool years and can have a great impact on a child’s life and learning.
Since 1995, varicella vaccine has been recommended as a self-funded vaccine for children in Shanghai, and the vaccination rate for school-age children has gradually increased since 2005.
Compared with the period before the use of varicella vaccine, the incidence of varicella in children has decreased significantly, but there are still some problems regarding varicella prevention and vaccination in children in the past 10 years.
A new trend of chickenpox has occurred in recent years, and children who have received one dose of the vaccine are still found to have chickenpox, which has a great impact on their lives and studies.
In response to the new epidemiological features of chickenpox that have emerged, a two-dose vaccination regimen is available for chickenpox vaccine.
Research data shows that one dose of varicella vaccine provides a 75 to 80 percent protection rate for children, while a two-dose regimen can increase the protection rate to more than 95 percent.
The specific methods are as follows.
1. Two doses can be given one month apart after the child’s birth to consolidate the preventive effect.
2. Varicella vaccine can also be given 3 years apart, for example, the first dose is given when the child is 1 year old, and a booster dose is given 3 years later, before the child enters daycare or school at the age of 3 to 6.
3. Secondary school students who have received one dose of varicella vaccine in the past can receive another booster dose of varicella vaccine, especially after contact with varicella or herpes zoster patients, and it is necessary to receive an emergency dose of varicella vaccine.
Once you have chickenpox, you are immune for life?
Many people say that if you have chickenpox once, you will automatically be protected by “lifetime immunity” and will never be infected even if you are with someone who has chickenpox. Is this really true?
Having chickenpox is not the same as being immune to shingles for life. The herpes zoster virus causes chickenpox in children when they are first infected, and many people think they will never get it again after they have recovered from chickenpox, but this is not the case.
Myths about chickenpox
The first misconception is that adults generally do not have chicken pox, which is a disease that only children get.
The actual fact is that you will find a lot of people who have had chicken pox as a child, and because of this, most people feel that chicken pox is a disease that only children get.
So, do adults get chickenpox or not?
Generally after 3 years old, preschool children are the high incidence of chickenpox, but adults also get chickenpox, only rarely. Also, adults who have not had chickenpox as children can get it, and usually have more severe symptoms. Therefore, if a child in the family has chickenpox, adult family members should also be protected.
Epidemiological data shows that once a family member is not vaccinated and not protected, about 90% of family members will be infected with chickenpox and may develop shingles in the future if there is a chickenpox patient in the family.
Myth 2: Chickenpox is a skin disease.
When you get chicken pox on your body, some people will first think that they have a skin disease. The symptoms of chicken pox are similar to allergic dermatitis, so many people will go to the dermatologist at first.
In fact, chickenpox is an acute respiratory infection caused by the “varicella-zoster virus”, easy to occur in the winter and spring, it is the primary infection caused by the herpes zoster virus.
Chickenpox is spread mainly through airborne droplets and is highly contagious, usually 24 to 48 hours before the rash appears. Sometimes there is a case of chickenpox in the classroom, and although it has been isolated, the next 10-30% of susceptible exposed children may be at risk of contracting chickenpox.
It is important to pay attention when a child has symptoms such as slight fever, general malaise, loss of appetite, cough or mild diarrhea. Also, it is important to isolate the child early until all of the rash has crusted over.
Children with fever should rest in bed, change clothes regularly, bathe with warm water, keep the skin clean and hygienic, and prevent repeated scratching to avoid bacterial infection after the blisters break.
In addition, commonly used household utensils should be disinfected by exposure to the sun or boiling.
Myth 3: If you have had chickenpox once, you will be immune for life.
In the traditional concept, people believe that chickenpox infection once can be immune for life, is this really true?
The herpes zoster virus causes chickenpox in children when they first get infected, and after recovering from the disease, the virus does not disappear, but remains latent in our bodies for life.
So when the body is exposed to certain stimuli, such as sudden changes in temperature, use of immunosuppressants, radiation exposure, tumors, etc. that cause impaired or low immune function, the virus is activated and produces a cascade of shingles.