Chickenpox Lollipops? Vaccination Fears Lead to Pox Parties

Posted: November 7, 2011

lollipops

Fearful of vaccinations, a few parents are taking matters into their own hands. Pox parties and mail order chickenpox lollipops are becoming a popular alternative for parents who don’t trust vaccinations. But government officials warn that these pox parties are not only dangerous, they are also illegal.

The SF Gate reports that finding pox parties and chickenpox lollipops is getting easier thanks to Facebook groups like “Find a Pox Party in Near You.” Parents can use the group to find “a child who has the chicken pox” and to ask their parents to send “infected lollipops or clothing through the mail.”

Jerry Martin, U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee, told the Associated Press:

“Can you imagine getting a package in the mail from this complete stranger that you know from Facebook because you joined a group, and say here, drink this purported spit from some other kid?”

Isaac Thomsen, a specialist in pediatric infectious diseases, said that even if parents receive a chickenpox lollipop, it isn’t likely that it will give their child the chickenpox.

Thomsen said:

“If there’s a very high load on the virus and shipped very quickly, it’s theoretically possible. But it’s probably not an effective way to transmit it. It typically has to be inhaled.”

So its ineffective and gross. What else can be wrong about chickenpox lollipops…? Oh, it could land you in jail for twenty years. Martin said that sending infected lollipops through the mail is illegal under the same law that makes mailing anthrax illegal. A person caught sending chickenpox lollipops could be sentenced to more than 20 years in jail.

Martin said:

“If you are engaged in this type of behavior, you’re not only potentially exposing innocent people to dangerous viruses and illnesses and diseases, you’re also exposing yourself potentially to federal criminal prosecution.”

Would you ever have your kid lick a chickenpox lollipop? Have you ever attended a pox party?

By Dan Evon

More Posts By Dan Evon

Comments

11 Archived Responses to “ Chickenpox Lollipops? Vaccination Fears Lead to Pox Parties ”

Sherry A. Exley
Nov 7, 2011

The shipping of "infected stuffs" is pretty gross and I know that I wouldn't even consider such a disgusting practice for my two kids, but the whole idea of getting the child infected now means less chance of shingles later in life. It may also be a better choice in families where there is a family history of severe reaction to vaccines (I believe its called vaccinosis) whether due to the ChickenPox cells in the vaccine itself, or more commonly, the concoctions they come up with to put it in.
Cynthia Garcia
Nov 7, 2011

my daughter got the chicken pox shot 10 years ago and she has been around other kids with chicken pox, and has never gotten it. my older two children both got chicken pox before they were two and it was horrible. I am SO glad she got the shot. I would do it again in a hearbeat. and people for years have been haing "pox parties". my mother and grandmother talked about them all the time.
Jessica Sheldon Durbin
Nov 7, 2011

Chicken pox (Varicella) via infection with the varicella virus actually increases the risk of shingles later in life. You are much less likely to have shingles when you have been vaccinated as you never had the active disease which is what results in herpes zoter infection ("shingles"). Not to mention encephalitis as a possible outcome from having varicella, no way would I allow my child to purposefully contract this potentially fatal disease when prevention is avaliable.
Robin J Bowden
Nov 7, 2011

I remember hearing about those too! I never got the Chicken pox,or anything like that,hmmm.
Jessica Sheldon Durbin
Nov 7, 2011

According to the NIH "Chicken pox vaccination prevents shingles in 50 percent of.
those vaccinated and reduces the incidence of PHN (chronic pain from shingles) by 66 percent. Although people who are vaccinated may still get shingles, they are likely to experience a milder case than un-vaccinated persons".
Sue Busch
Nov 7, 2011

There is no end to people's stupidity…fear of vaccinations is one of those reptilian brain issues that some folks can't get past. Like climate-change skeptics and evolution non-believers, the science isn't enough to convince them. Maybe if it was written in the Bible…
No More Drama Stephenson
Nov 7, 2011

WTF are chicken pox deadly? y get a vaccination 4 chicken pox? but yessssss get a vaccination 4 whooping cough rubella measles influzenza IDK THIS IS AMERICA WE PRETTY MUCH DO WHAT WE WANT.
Deb Wall
Nov 7, 2011

The idea of a chicken pox lollipop is just nasty & gross, let alone buying one from a stranger on the internet being way too scary. What a horrible idea!
But, before a vaccine was available, moms would have their young children visit and play with another child who had chicken pox, with the reasoning that it's better to contract it young and develop immunity.
But if I had young children now, I would definitely vaccinate them for chicken pox and just skip that altogether. I wouldn't wish chicken pox on my worst enemy. My daughters grew up before there was a vaccine for it, both went through typical childhood episodes of it–a kid at school came down with it & before long they were all getting it. They had about a day of feeling crummy, then being poxy for several days and just being itchy. But, just as they were getting over it, even though I'd had it when I was a child, I caught it again from them. I was in my 30's and it nearly did me in. It didn't run its usual course with me; I just got sicker & sicker, until after more than a week we realized I was in trouble. Every doctor, nurse and aide who cared for me said they'd never seen anyone with chicken pox as bad as I had it. Not only was every square inch of my body covered with pox, I had them internally as well, in every orifice, my GI tract and lungs. I was lucky it didn't attack my heart, but I'd developed hemorrhagic pneumonia from the pox in my lungs and was hospitalized for ten days on oxygen and a brand new anti-viral IV drug, Acyclovir.
I'm scared of getting shingles–afraid of being loaded with the dormant virus that causes it. Now that the FDA has lowered the recommended age for shingles vaccine, I'm going to get one!