Originally Posted by canklecat

Shingles is a herd immunity issue. It is related to chickenpox, and the varicella-zoster virus is contagious during active outbreaks of shingles.

However the health risks are relatively low compared with other communicable diseases. It's really more of a personal choice issue since the only people likely to be affected are immediate family. Wearing gloves while applying ointments, etc., to the skin of an affected person, and good hand washing, will reduce the risks. I took care of my mom during her shingles outbreak and haven't suffered any ill effects -- so far. I'm 60 now and sometimes it doesn't appear until later in life.

During my childhood in the late 1950s-'60s, conventional wisdom promoted the notion of children deliberately contracting chickenpox in hopes of achieving lifetime immunity. Researchers are continually re-evaluating that theory. My brother and cousin all had chickenpox together in the early '60s, as did just about everyone in our school.

There are some risks of side effects related to meds commonly prescribed for shingles. My mom had a bad reaction to valacyclovir, but she's prone to suffering side effects from all meds -- if there's a remote risk of a side effect, she'll get it. I've withheld information about side effects from her to minimize the risk of psychosomatic symptoms, but even when she knows nothing about the side effects she often displays the exact symptoms described in the literature. I've joked that she could make a fortunate volunteering as a human guinea pig for the pharmaceutical industry.