If a child develops a rash following MMR, varicella, or MMRV vaccination but is otherwise well, can the child attend day care/school?
For MMR, this is not a problem because there is no risk of transmission of these viruses after MMR vaccination. If a child develops a rash following varicella or MMRV vaccination, clinical assessment is needed. Vaccine-associated varicella rashes tend to be mild, maculopapular lesions associated with an extremely low risk of transmission. If the rash looks extensive or is vesicular, the child might in fact have varicella disease and could be infectious. It is possible to become infected with wild virus varicella after vaccination before the immune system has had a chance to mount an immune response to the vaccine. The bottom line is that if it looks like chickenpox, it should be treated like chickenpox. Of note, parents should also check with their child’s school/daycare to determine if there are existing policies for attendance in such situations.
Related Questions
- If a child develops a rash following MMR, varicella, or MMRV vaccination but is otherwise well, can the child attend day care/school?
- If a child develops a rash following MMR or varicella vaccination but is otherwise well, can the child attend day care/school?
- Should I administer the MMR and varicella vaccines or the MMRV vaccine for a child’s first vaccination?
