Facts and fallacies about varicella and the varicella vaccine

Varicella is a nearly ubiquitous infection that results in significant morbidity and occasional mortality. The varicella vaccine has been licensed in the United States for the past five years. While varicella vaccination rates are slowly growing nationally, the immunization rate for South Dakota remains abysmally low. The legislature has recently mandated this vaccine for school entry in South Dakota, to promote its increased use. There are many fallacies about varicella and the varicella vaccine and questions about how new requirements of varicella vaccination before school entry will be met. This article identifies these common misconceptions and can serve as a resource for answers to questions commonly asked of vaccine providers.