Do I need to stay home from class if I have chickenpox?

Dear Reader,  

If you’re feeling sick, staying home might help you recover as well as protect your peers from getting sick! While it’s true that much of the population is immune to chickenpox, it’s still a highly contagious disease. It can spread in all sorts of environments and has been known to break through vaccination.  

What is chickenpox?  

Chickenpox is caused by the varicella-zoster virus and is most commonly associated with the blistery rash it causes on the body. In addition to a rash, symptoms can include a high fever, drowsiness, and headaches. People with weakened immune systems may experience worsened side effects, while relatively young and healthy people may identify the disease by its lesions. Even if your symptoms aren’t severe, chickenpox is definitely more than just an itch!  

How is chickenpox spread?  

Chickenpox can be spread in many ways, including direct contact with an infected person’s mucus, saliva, or rash itself. Plus, the lesions that the varicella virus causes on your skin can release particles of the disease into the air. This may infect people around you who might inhale them. But wait, there’s more. You can even get chickenpox from someone who doesn’t have it! Shingles is a separate disease but is caused by the same varicella-zoster virus. If someone with shingles is in close contact with someone who hasn’t had chickenpox, they can pass on the virus, and it can manifest as chickenpox. So, one disease outbreak can really lead to two. You can never be too careful!  

Are some people immune to chickenpox?  

It’s true that nowadays many people are immune to chickenpox—once you’ve had and recovered from chickenpox, you may be immune from contracting the virus again. Alternatively, immunity can also come from receiving the vaccine. Up until the turn of the 21^st century, chickenpox was very common in the United States. In fact, the CDC estimates that in the early 1990s around four million people contracted varicella every year. So, while there’s a good chance your peers are protected, a chickenpox outbreak can still spread quickly and widely and there are plenty of people who might still be vulnerable.  

Additionally, even if you have had the virus before or have had the vaccine, you may not be immune forever. The virus has been known to develop ‘breakthrough’ variants, which can infect previously vaccinated people. The varicella virus can also remain inactive in people who have been infected and come back later in life as shingles since the two diseases are caused by the same infection.  

How is chickenpox treated?  

If you start to develop chickenpox symptoms (like the telltale rash), consider visiting a health care provider. They’ll be able to figure out if you do have chickenpox and provide guidance on treatment if necessary. One option may be the use of medications like antihistamines to help control your symptoms. This way you can have support in getting back to your usual pox-less self as quickly as possible.   

Additionally, there are steps you can take at home to manage your symptoms and support your recovery. Some examples include drinking plenty of water or taking acetaminophen—both of which can help regulate a fever. Many people find that the most frustrating symptom of chickenpox is its rash, but a health care provider will tell you that you should try your hardest not to scratch the lesions. Scratching them might irritate your skin even more and can stop you from healing quickly. To help reduce the itch, you can try out an anti-itch cream (like those with hydrocortisone) or get wet and wild with some oatmeal in the bathtub.  

How can you stop the spread of chickenpox?  

Since there are many ways the virus can spread, it can be tricky to prevent them all. But using tactics such as washing your hands or coughing into your elbow may still help, even if it’s not one hundred percent guaranteed. Additionally, if you do become infected with the disease, the most reliable method of containing chickenpox is isolation. Not only is it a highly contagious disease—known to sneak its way through environments as sterile as hospitals—but it’s also quite a trickster. It can be contagious until the last of your lesions have healed. So even if your fever is gone, your spirits are soaring, and you no longer feel the urge to itch, it’s still possible for you to transmit the pox to your peers.  

Plus, not only can staying home from school help you greatly reduce the risk of infecting others, but it might also help you recover faster. Taking the time to stay home and focus on your health can allow you to get back to class healthy and ready to learn!