• Zoster (Shingles)
  • Disease Issues

Should healthcare personnel in long-term care facilities be tested to see if they have had chickenpox before taking care of someone who has shingles?

All healthcare personnel should ensure they are immune to varicella regardless of the setting in which they work. For healthcare personnel, accepted evidence of varicella immunity includes any of the following: 1) documentation of age-appropriate vaccination with a varicella vaccine, 2) laboratory evidence of immunity or laboratory confirmation of disease; 3) diagnosis or verification of a history of varicella disease by a healthcare provider; or 4) diagnosis or verification of a history of herpes zoster by a healthcare provider.

Last reviewed: March 9, 2022

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