How should I manage health care workers who develop a rash after varicella vaccination?
A rash following vaccination occurs in 4% to 6% of vaccine recipients and typically less than 10 lesions develop. Generally, if rash develops within two weeks of vaccination, it is more likely to be a wild-type varicella infection than a vaccine-associated rash. Vaccinated people who develop a rash caused by vaccine have a small risk of transmitting vaccine virus to healthy contacts, but immunocompromised people may have a higher risk of being infected with the vaccine virus. HCWs who develop a rash following vaccination should not have direct patient contact until scabs develop on all lesions.
Related Questions
- Regarding vaccination of healthcare workers, if a person develops a rash after receiving varicella vaccine, are they contagious? If so, how long would they be considered contagious?
- Are there any health care workers who may not work following vaccination? Any limits on health care workers providing care to immunosuppressed patients?
- Should health care workers be furloughed if they develop a rash after vaccination?
