Is chickenpox still contagious after it scabs over?

Many friends think that they will not get chickenpox again after getting the chickenpox vaccine. This idea is incorrect. Getting the chickenpox vaccine only reduces the chance of getting chickenpox, but cannot completely eliminate the chance of getting the disease. There is still a certain chance of contagion even after chickenpox has scabbed over, so you should wait until you have fully recovered before resuming normal activities.

Is chickenpox still contagious after it scabs?

Having had chickenpox does not necessarily mean you are "lifelong immune" and the possibility of secondary infection cannot be ruled out.

After chickenpox occurs, the body generally develops lifelong immunity, and reinfection in adults is indeed rare. However, the possibility of secondary infection cannot be ruled out in cases where the body's immunity is reduced due to malnutrition, malignant tumors, leukemia, diabetes, and long-term use of immunosuppressants and glucocorticoids. In addition, since the varicella-zoster virus can remain latent in the ganglia for a long time after infection, when the body's resistance is reduced or when you are tired or have a cold, the virus can replicate again, manifesting as shingles.

Therefore, when adults feel that their immunity is low, they should avoid contact with chickenpox patients.

How to prevent chickenpox

1. Do not contact sick people

Patients are the only source of infection for chickenpox, so if there are cases of chickenpox in your area, do not take your children to crowded places and try not to go to hospitals, as these are places where bacteria and viruses gather.

2. Isolation and observation

If a child accidentally comes into direct contact with the patient's chickenpox fluid, utensils contaminated by the patient, or is likely to be touched by the patient's droplets, the child should be isolated and observed for two to three weeks.

3. Enhance immunity

Children should exercise more, keep exercising, and eat more foods rich in vitamin C to improve their disease resistance.

4. Vaccination

Vaccination with the varicella vaccine is currently the most effective preventive measure. The varicella vaccine can stimulate the body to produce antibodies. However, if the individual's immunity is poor or the person is allergic to the vaccine due to special physical condition, the vaccine may be ineffective. If a child who has been vaccinated gets chickenpox again, the illness will be much milder than if the child has not been vaccinated. Because chickenpox has a very long immunity duration, once infected once, it will almost never occur again.