Chicken pox
 

Just been for our vaccinations (part 1) at our local surgery. They are giving us all the necessary vaccinations courtesy of the NHS but can't help us with the one for chicken pox as not part of the UK vaccination process.

We are planning on having our medicals, in London, in November and wondered if the chicken pox vaccination would be given to us then or do we need to do something else in the meantime?

Re: Chicken pox
 

Titre test or letter from your doc saying you've had chicken pox.

Re: Chicken pox
 

Thanks Bob. Back on Thursday with son number 2 so will ask about a titre test. They checked both boys' medical records but I obviously recognised chicken pox when they had it 2 weeks apart and never bothered my GP as there isn't a note on either of their records - April 2000 - I remember it so well!

Re: Chicken pox
 

Chicken pox is varicella isn't it? The vaccination for that is not normally available in the UK so normal practice is that you will be waived the requirement to have it.

Re: Chicken pox
 

You can normally get it done privately.

Re: Chicken pox
 

We knew that our younger son had chicken pox in 2002, but had never noticed any sign of elder son having it. When sorting out their vaccinations earlier this year (non-immigrant visa so no medical, but needed to meet school requirements) the practice nurse took a blood sample and sent it off for analysis and it came back with chicken pox antibodies present, so he had developed immunity somehow. School district accepted our record of #2 son having had the disease and the lab report for #1 son.

Re: Chicken pox
 

I didn't even need the test or letter from Doc just told them at the knightbridge Doctors I had it and they marked VH (varicella history on that box on their form)

Lx

Re: Chicken pox
 

Thanks for all the replies. I know we've all had it so, if they charge for titre test, will just turn up at the Knightsbridge doctor and hope they tick the box.

Is there anything I should worry about in the medical? Do we need to take copies of our medical history with us. I though mine had been lost with all my childhood moves so was amazed this afternoon when the nurse told me I'd had a measles jab when I was 2! Had to have a 2 course MMR as no record of the others - not looking forward to part 2 as my arm hurts somewhat!

Re: Chicken pox
 

I just took my vaccination history not my full medical history. it was a single sheet print out done by my GP surgery

Lx

Re: Chicken pox
 

Yeah, that's all you need. Handy for the US side of things from greencards to schools.

Re: Chicken pox
 

Agreed - once the school nurse has entered it all into the school district system, it immediately seems to become 'official'. I took a print of the kids vacs with all the dates, as detailed on their school website (where parents can log in to check grades, contact details, and so on), which the nurse had painstakingly copied - reversing all the dates correctly and everything! - from their Red health record books. The Civil Surgeon just copied it all down onto the GC medical form, and took it all as gospel.

The only change he made was putting 'VH' - varicella history - in place of where the school website says exempt for the chicken pox vacs (the kids have both had the illness, which everyone helpfully seems to just believe on my say so; it doesn't seem to be at all a big deal not to have the vac for this).