One of the best ways to prevent chicken pox is to get vaccinated against the disease. The vaccine is usually given to young children. This would decrease the likelihood of getting infected with the disease, but it cannot be stated as a guaranteed way to stay protected. It has been successful in approximately 70 to 90 percent of the children who receive it. The good news is that if anyone who has received the chicken pox vaccine but still develops chicken pox, suffers from a milder case that would heal faster than normal. This vaccine is recommended for children younger than 13 years of age. If a dose gets missed, they should get the shot on the next visit to the doctor. Adults must be tested to see if they are already immune to chicken pox. There are rarely any side effects from this vaccine. Some of the possible side effects include mild redness, stiffness and soreness at the injection site.

This is another effective way to prevent chicken pox. It is a common fact that if a person is exposed to chicken pox, then he/she might not show its symptoms for several days even after catching the infection. A common attribute of chicken pox is that it gets transmitted from person to person through air. The most common way for it to spread is when an infected person sneezes and the people standing nearby are exposed to the virus. Make sure that you do not eat, drink or smoke near the one who is infected. It is equally important to separate any clothing and linen that came in contact with the infected person from your own. Avoid such clothing to come in contact with your skin. This could cause the virus to spread since the clothes might have come in contact with fluid from blisters. Rely on the fact that people get infected with this disease only once in their life as the body builds immunity against it after one bout of infection. 

This is the most effective and, by far, the best way to prevent infection from chickenpox. In certain cases, there is a possibility that the vaccine won’t completely give protection from the disease, but it would drastically reduce the symptoms and severity of the disease. Moreover, the symptoms may last for only a few days, with very few skin lesions unlike normally when the infection lasts for weeks. The vaccine is given by an injection and is recommended for anyone older than 12 months of age with no prior history of chicken pox disease or vaccine. It contains a tiny amount of the virus that causes chicken pox which has been especially treated to prevent actual disease occurrence. There are certain mild side effects that are often linked with this vaccine. These include low grade fever and mild temporary discomfort at the vaccination site. This vaccine contains live virus, so it is not at all recommended for pregnant women and those with a history of previous chicken pox infection. 

Preventive measures are most effective if taken at the right age. Children must be given two doses of chicken pox vaccine which is known as Varivax. The first dose is required to be given between the ages of 12 to 15 months. The second one is given between 4 to 6 years of age; this can be given before attaining the age of four years if there has been a gap of three months since the first dose. Those who have attained the age of 13 years but have not received the vaccine or have a history of chicken pox should get two doses at a gap of 4 to 8 weeks. There is no particular known duration of immunity after vaccination. One thing that demands attention is to get re-vaccinated with a booster dose to sustain immunity through adulthood. 

In case the chicken pox vaccine is skipped, then the second best alternative to prevent the disease is with an immunoglobulin. It is a blood product containing antibodies against the chickenpox virus. It is given with an injection immediately after exposure to the VZV virus. Doctors recommend it for those individuals who are at a high risk for severe complications, including pregnant women and newborns whose mothers are suffering from chicken pox. This medication is given through slow infusion into a vein by an experienced professional. It is started at a slow pace after monitoring the patient. The frequency of the medication is raised if the person does not show any kind of side effects. Any side effects must be immediately brought to the notice of the health care professional. The side effects which could result from an immunoglobulin infusion are flushing, muscle cramps, joint pain, nausea and vomiting accompanied by fever. Make sure that the medication is taken regularly to get the maximum benefit from it. 

Doctors recommend that in order to prevent chicken pox, it is important to stay vigilant and observe personal and environmental hygiene. It is important to make sure that those children who are suffering from the infection must be refrained from attending school and contacting other children until complete recovery is achieved. The nose and mouth must be deliberately covered while sneezing or coughing. Maintaining good ventilation is also important. No delay should be encouraged in seeking medical advice on identifying symptoms such as fever and rashes. 

One needs to be very careful about the doctor’s recommendation regarding the chicken pox vaccine. If one has been vaccinated once, then there is no need to get it again. Overexposure to the same virus can make the body prone to develop the disease again. Moreover, it is very rare to get infected by the Varicella virus more than once. Pregnant women, those with a weak immune system and people allergic to gelatin or neomycin must not get themselves vaccinated with this vaccine. It is important to get a proper check up from a medical practitioner to know the best preventive measure to opt for. 

There are certain foods which must be strictly avoided in case of chicken pox. Proper diet can be of a great help to keep the children from contracting it. Food must be rich in nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Foods which must be completely avoided include junk food and oily food. Make sure that you regularly give the child a high potency multivitamin. This would contribute in building the immunity against the disease. 

A recent study shows that the ultraviolet rays can help prevent the spread of chickenpox. It is found that people residing in milder climates are at an increased risk of contracting the infection. It is also a known fact that chicken pox is less common in places with high UV ray levels. UV rays inactivate the chicken pox causing virus and prevent it from spreading. This could be called the simplest way to avoid chicken pox. Simply going out and getting lots of sunlight is the easiest way to avoid chicken pox. Also, it would stop its later shingles from spreading.