<p>Can’t say that’s really compelling evidence for attributing the vaccine to the increase of shingles outbreaks. Maybe we’re just more stressed out than prior generations.</p>
<p>My kids had chickenpox, so my exposure didn’t help me a bit, darn it. </p>
<p>Coincidentally, my daughter just texted me and asked if she had ever had “smallpox.” I said, “Uh, no. That disease has essentially been eradicated from the planet. Do you mean chicken pox?” And she responded, “oops, yes.” Said she was just thinking about it and got curious.</p>
<p>That made me look up smallpox on Wikipedia. There is a HORRIFIC photo there of a child with smallpox. Every person who is opposed to all vaccines should have to look at that photo and read about how many millions of people used to die yearly of that one disease.</p>
<p>I doubt if we will know what happens in terms of lifelong immunity for chickenpox or Shingles for those getting vaccine until that first immunization group reaches middle age. </p>
<p>Chickenpox can kill. I have never felt so sick in my life as when I had them as a teen. I was lucky I was not hospitalized.</p>
<p>I have a memory of being with mom as a child watching my sisters getting their smallpox vaccine. I have none if getting one, myself. When did we stop immunizing for this in US?</p>
<p>Shouldn’t the vaccinated group get boosters? Especially, if chicken pox is more serious for adults? I know I’m for sure going to get the booster.</p>
<p>Routine vaccination of smallpox in US reportedly was discontinued in 1972.
But while I was 14 yrs old then, I don’t think I’ve ever been vaccinated for smallpox, at least I don’t have a scar.</p>
<p>I read a time travel novel series (Outlander). In one of the books the protagonist, who has gone back to 1700’s Scottland from the 1940s, realizes another character has also traveled back from modern times when she sees her smallpox vaccine scar. That was cool.</p>
<p>Went to a local Walgreens to get the Tdap booster and they are on back order from the manufacturer, apparently. There’s a shortage in the DC/NoVA area!</p>
<p>I remember getting my smallpox vaccine. We all went to the gym at my elementary school and stood in line for it. I also remember getting the oral polio vaccine and thinking this was a great deal to get to drink sugar water at the doctor’s office! A chickenpox booster was on the list of vaccines my D2 was supposed to have to go to college this fall (on the college health form), I think. I seem to remember D1 got one right before leaving, too (seems like they might have just figured out that the boosters were needed around that time).</p>
<p>I remember getting my smallpox vaccine in the auditorium at my elementary school. I’m also thinking my polio vaccine was on a sugar cube? Maybe not.</p>
<p>I also remember the polio vaccine being in a sugar cube, although I seem to recall my mother giving me that at home. Smallpox was definitely given at school.</p>
<p>I don’t think smallpox vaccine was given at school in the 1960s. I was born in 1955, and I got my smallpox vaccine as a baby. My mother had to point out the scar, which is on my thigh, unlike her own scar, which was on her arm. Apparently, by the 1960s, it had become customary to do the vaccination in an inconspicuous location on the body. Diana Gabaldon’s heroine would not have known that I came from the future unless I took my skirt off.</p>
<p>^^^Marian, I was born in the 60’s, probably got my vaccine at school in the late 60’s or early 70’s. My scar is on my deltoid; I believe that was the usual location as most people my age have theirs there as well.</p>
<p>My pediatrician must have been behind yours, mine is on my arm. Mine has faded away but my red-head sister’s still shows.
I remember reading a time-travel novel where the protagonist recognizes a fellow time traveler by her small-pox vaccine scar…and so do you…</p>
<p>Has anyone found a study about vaccinating those who had sub-clinical chicken-pox? One of mine had them, diagnosed by Dr., but had about 15 blisters and no fever after day 2. I’m thinking her immunity might not be too strong. Could she be eligible for a booster vaccine?</p>
<p>Her immunity is probably okay if she had any blisters. You could check a varicella titer and see. We checked titers on all pediatric residents and there were always several surprises, usually young adults who had supposedly never had cpox but were nicely immune.</p>
<p>I remember getting the smallpox vaccine standing in line with the nurse. I would have had to have been younger than 6, but I thought I was older than that. I guess not… I too cracked up at the vaccine scene in Outlander. Mine is also on my arm, I’m guessing there’s no way they’d be having all those kids drop their pants in line - lol</p>
<p>I recall the small pox vaccine scars very well. Nearly all us kids had one. Even as a kid I never understood why they didn’t inoculate on say the back of the shoulder blade - somewhere where the scar wouldn’t show. Especially so for the girls who would be wearing sleeveless tops more or less for the rest of their lives.</p>
<p>Probably because the upper arm was the quickest and easiest place to reach. The campaign to eradicate smallpox dictated assembly-line procedure, I’d guess.</p>
<p>For some reason my smallpox vaccine was put on the underside of my arm. I used to be able to find it, but it’s totally invisible now. It probably hurt more getting in that tender spot. </p>
<p>Remember the vaccine scene in “John Adams”? Ouch. Of course, the breast cancer scene was far, far worse. As much as vaccines have helped our life expectancy, I am more grateful to modern medicine for anesthesia. And contraception.</p>