This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Recommendations for use of vaccine

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Recommendations for the use of vaccine are summarised (1).

Specific individuals may benefit from pre-exposure vaccine (those without VZ antibody):

  • healthcare workers - those working in general practice and hospitals who have patient contact, e.g. cleaners on wards, catering staff, ambulance staff, receptionists in general practice, as well as medical and nursing staff
    • those with a definite history of chickenpox or herpes zoster can be considered protected. Healthcare workers with a negative or uncertain history of chickenpox or herpes zoster should be serologically tested and vaccine offered only to those without VZ antibody
    • healthcare workers should be told at the time of vaccination that they may experience a local rash around the site of injection or a more generalised
      rash in the month after vaccination
      • in either case, they should report to their occupational health department for assessment before commencing work
      • if the rash is generalised and consistent with a vaccine-associated rash (papular or vesicular), the healthcare worker should avoid patient contact
        until all the lesions have crusted
      • healthcare workers with localised vaccine rashes that can be covered with a bandage and/or clothing should be allowed to continue working unless in contact with immunocompromised or pregnant patients
        • in the latter situation, an individual risk assessment should be made
  • laboratory staff - people who might be exposed to the virus during their work e.g. - in virology laboratories and clinical infectious disease units
  • contacts of immunocompromised patients - VZ vaccine is recommended for healthy susceptible contacts of immunocompromised patients with continuing close contact e.g. - siblings of a leukaemic child, or a child whose parent is undergoing chemotherapy

The vaccine should not be given to:

  • immunosuppressed patients
  • for patients who require protection against chickenpox, seek advice from a specialist
  • women who are pregnant. Pregnancy should be avoided for one month following the last dose of varicella vaccine
  • or to those who have had:
    • a confirmed anaphylactic reaction to a previous dose of the vaccine
    • a confirmed anaphylactic reaction to any component of the vaccine, including neomycin or gelatin

Check uptodate guidance before prescribing VZG

Reference


Create an account to add page annotations

Annotations allow you to add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation. E.g. a website or number. This information will always show when you visit this page.

The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

Connect

Copyright 2024 Oxbridge Solutions Limited, a subsidiary of OmniaMed Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Any distribution or duplication of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. Oxbridge Solutions receives funding from advertising but maintains editorial independence.