Vaccines and Preventable Diseases:

Types of Chickenpox Vaccine
For Public

There are two chickenpox vaccines that are licensed in the United States—Varivax® and ProQuad®.

Varivax®

• Contains only chickenpox vaccine
• Licensed for use in children 12 months and older, adolescents, and adults
• Can be given to children for their routine two doses of chickenpox vaccine at 12 through 15 months old and 4 through 6 years old

ProQuad®

• Contains a combination of measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (chickenpox) vaccines, which is also called MMRV
• Only licensed for use in children 12 months through 12 years old
• Can be given to children for their routine two doses of chickenpox vaccine at 12 through 15 months old and 4 through 6 years old
• Children who get the first dose of this vaccine at 12 to 23 months old may have a higher chance of a seizure caused by fever. This is in comparison to children who get the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine and the chickenpox vaccine separately during a doctor visit. But, these seizures are not common. They may be scary for parents, but they are not harmful to children. Talk with a doctor if you have questions.

For more information, see  

• Factsheet: Two Options for Protecting Your Child Against Measles, Mumps, Rubella, and Varicella
• Q&As About the Options for Protecting Your Child Against Measles, Mumps, Rubella, and Varicella

For package inserts, see Varivax® and ProQuad®.

Related Pages

• Who Needs Chickenpox Vaccine
• Immunity Against (Protection From) Chickenpox
• Who Should Not Get Chickenpox Vaccine
• Possible Side Effects of Chickenpox Vaccine
• Childcare and School Vaccine Requirements

 Return to main Varicella Vaccination page

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