Chapter 8: Chickenpox and the Varicella vaccine

Bonus Episode: this is the first new vaccine to come out since the last version of The Vaccine Book, and Dr. Bob provides an in-depth look at this shot. He provides a detailed description of RSV infections and his own experience with this illness in his office. He unpacks the two brands of this shot, describes how each is made, what the ingredients are and what the known side effects are so far. He ends with his own take on this vaccine and what his own patients are choosing, or not choosing, to do.

Dr. Bob discusses the five vaccines that are offered to women and families in the post-partum period. He discusses the medical reasoning behind each recommendation (or lack thereof), and the pros and cons of each choice.

There's a lot of new information to talk about with this brand-new vaccine, and Dr. Bob covers it all. He reviews the safety research, discusses efficacy of this vaccine, and provides details on RSV disease and how it impacts infants and children. He also shares how this vaccine is manufactured and what the ingredients are.

Despite the lack of safety research, the CDC and medical community recommend the Covid vaccine for all pregnancy women. Dr. Bob briefly discusses the pros and cons of this policy.

Should you get a Tdap shot during pregnancy? That's the question Dr. Bob tackles today. He reviews the medical reasoning behind this recommendation, what we know about safety, and the pros and cons of vaccinating during pregnancy. He also reveals the surprising origins of this medical policy designed to reduce whooping cough in newborns.