On the CDC website it says: “Chickenpox vaccine is the best way to prevent chickenpox. Vaccination not only protects vaccinated persons, it also reduces the risk for exposure in the community for persons unable to be vaccinated because of illness or other conditions, including those who may be at greater risk for severe disease. While no vaccine is 100% effective in preventing disease, the chickenpox vaccine is very effective: about 8 to 9 of every 10 people who are vaccinated are completely protected from chickenpox. In addition, the vaccine almost always prevents against severe disease. If a vaccinated person does get chickenpox, it is usually a very mild case lasting only a few days and involving fewer skin lesions (usually less than 50), mild or no fever, and few other symptoms.”
I have discovered that this is complete BS! If I ever had any doubts about the chicken pox vaccine before, they were all well founded. I have met so many people over the last few years who’s kids got chicken pox (some even multiple times) after getting vaccinated. I was really starting to worry about my 11-year-old, because the older you are when you get chicken pox, the worse it can be, so I was actually relieved when he broke out with the itchy rash over the weekend. Two of my sisters who’s kids, most of whom had been vaccinated, also broke out right about the same time . . . and I can guarantee that there were way more than 50 lesions on each kid — even the bottoms of feet had chicken pox! I just talked to a lady the other day who’s fourteen-year-old son recently got the chicken pox, (after having the vaccination) and it put him in the hospital.
I have decided that the chicken pox vaccine is really just a tool for procrastination that really only provides a false sense of security and (maybe) buys you a little time, but that little bit of convenience bought is just going to come back and bite you in the butt a lot harder later. Those 8 or 9 people talked about on the CDC website are just delayed and will most likely get it sooner or later. I think that we were very lucky that my son’s case was not more severe, considering his age . . . Interestingly enough, of my two children who didn’t have the vaccine one broke out very lightly, and the other not at all . . . at least not yet. But for now, I am keeping them all away from other kids as a precautionary measure.
