Chickenpox outbreak at Shepherd High School: What parents should know

SHEPHERD, Texas - Shepherd ISD is warning families about a chickenpox outbreak at Shepherd High School, saying it is monitoring the situation and taking precautions to protect students and staff.

What they're saying:

The district sent a health notice to parents Tuesday about the outbreak at the school in San Jacinto County, northeast of Houston.

Dr. Linda Yancey with Memorial Hermann said chickenpox is highly contagious, making outbreaks difficult to contain.

"Chickenpox is very, very contagious, and it spreads very easily through the air," Yancey said.

Symptoms typically develop 10 to 21 days after exposure. According to the CDC, people with chickenpox can spread the virus one to two days before the rash appears and remain contagious until all the blisters have crusted over.

Symptoms can include fever, tiredness, headache and an itchy, blister-like rash. Yancey said the rash can begin on the face and chest before spreading to other parts of the body.

Vaccination offers strong protection. The CDC says two doses of the chickenpox vaccine are more than 90% effective at preventing the illness. Vaccinated children can still develop chickenpox, but their illness is usually milder.

Yancey encouraged parents to review their children’s vaccination history and watch for symptoms following a possible exposure. Families should contact their child’s health care provider and follow guidance from school and public health officials about staying home and returning to school.

Yancey also said chickenpox vaccination can help lower the risk of shingles later in life.

For children who develop chickenpox, she urged parents to watch for breathing problems. Pneumonia is a potentially serious complication.

"Any child with the chickenpox who’s having trouble breathing needs to be brought into an emergency room immediately," Yancey said.

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