Chicken pox vaccination is one of my gnawing bad consciences. I live in a country where the vaccine is not offered without cost so I let my children be contagiated at low ages in daycare. Not optimal - maybe I could get the energy to search out the vaccine for my youngest child, who hasn't caught the disease yet. It is always easier when vaccines are offered for free within the frame of the ordinary vaccine program.
This is kinda crazy to read as someone who was born just as it was becoming mandatory in the US. Neither I nor any of my friends growing up ever had chicken pox—it always stuck me as “one of those old-timey diseases we don’t get anymore” when I encountered it in children’s books. Wild that it was almost universal just one generation before me.
At this point, I'm still worried that immunity might fade after like 50 or 60 years and we'll have a giant health crisis of old people getting chickenpox. Still, it's been a long time, and every year that passes is good news.
Any evidence for or against this worry, other than "so far, so good"?
Worth noting that shingles vaccines are highly effective and freely available in many countries above the age of 50. They target the same virus, so this shouldn't be a problem. Earlier than that, boosters could help. Overall though, the protection from the vaccines seems quite long lasting so I wouldn't expect this to be a problem.
Yes, although Hope Simpson said that many decades ago, and data from countries around the world where chickenpox vaccines have been given out routinely demonstrate that it isn't a concern. As I've described, the data shows the opposite.
It really doesn't make sense to cite a quote about another quote which was made decades ago, which both contradict the actual data, not to mention the fact that there is a highly effective shingles vaccine now.
Very informative! Many congratulations on your doctorate!
Thank you! :)
Chicken pox vaccination is one of my gnawing bad consciences. I live in a country where the vaccine is not offered without cost so I let my children be contagiated at low ages in daycare. Not optimal - maybe I could get the energy to search out the vaccine for my youngest child, who hasn't caught the disease yet. It is always easier when vaccines are offered for free within the frame of the ordinary vaccine program.
The "Under the Hood" section is incredibly important. I suspect (and hope) more substacks will start doing this.
Congrats on the phd
Thank you! I hope so too
Thanks doc for sharing...
I was greatly impacted 👍
This is kinda crazy to read as someone who was born just as it was becoming mandatory in the US. Neither I nor any of my friends growing up ever had chicken pox—it always stuck me as “one of those old-timey diseases we don’t get anymore” when I encountered it in children’s books. Wild that it was almost universal just one generation before me.
This comment made me feel like I had time-travelled into the future! Glad to hear that none of you experienced it, although I'm envious too
Great post!
Congrats, Dr Dattani!
At this point, I'm still worried that immunity might fade after like 50 or 60 years and we'll have a giant health crisis of old people getting chickenpox. Still, it's been a long time, and every year that passes is good news.
Any evidence for or against this worry, other than "so far, so good"?
Worth noting that shingles vaccines are highly effective and freely available in many countries above the age of 50. They target the same virus, so this shouldn't be a problem. Earlier than that, boosters could help. Overall though, the protection from the vaccines seems quite long lasting so I wouldn't expect this to be a problem.
Yes, although Hope Simpson said that many decades ago, and data from countries around the world where chickenpox vaccines have been given out routinely demonstrate that it isn't a concern. As I've described, the data shows the opposite.
It really doesn't make sense to cite a quote about another quote which was made decades ago, which both contradict the actual data, not to mention the fact that there is a highly effective shingles vaccine now.