Are shingles as contagious as chicken pox, or are they not as bad ?
Shingles are contagious for people who’ve never been vaccinated for chicken pox AND who’ve never had chicken pox. If a person has had chicken pox or the vaccine, then s/he will not contract chicken pox from someone with shingles. If someone has a case of shingles, that person is contagious, especially to anyone who is immunocompromised. People with shingles should most definitely see a doctor. A responsible doctor will keep that patient away from other patients. Also, people with shingles should stay out of hospitals so as to not spread their disease. In other words, they should not go visiting sick people or anyone who has not been vaccinated for chicken pox. (Very young children.) The contagious period lasts for 4 weeks after the sores have crusted over. Sores should be covered with gauze when going out in public. Shingles is much more painful than chicken pox and it lasts much, much longer than the childhood disease many of us remember. People over age 60 really should get the shing
