Chicken Pox Vaccine Required for All WA High School Students This Fall

State health officials say the virus is becoming more abundant these days, and new studies show it can reportedly cause more health issues in older people.

Starting with the 2016-17 school year, ALL high school students in Washington State will have to show proof they've been vaccinated at least twice against chicken pox, or take a blood  test showing their immune. Students who've already had the virus will not be required to get vaccinated.

Officials with the Washington State Department of Health say new studies show the virus can cause health issues for adults, especially those with weakened immune systems. They say vaccinations can help prevent those who have not yet had it from getting the virus, which in turn would prevent the possibility of shingles occurring later in life.

If you've already had chicken pox, the shingles virus is inside you. Shingles is a painful skin rash believed to be neurologically-linked, that occurs in adults who've already had the pox. You may have seen the TV ads featuring former NFL player Terry Bradshaw, talking about shingles. More attention has been focused on the rash, and more research has reportedly shown the pox creates health issues previously not linked to it.

Students will have to show proof of at least two vaccinations, previous chicken pox experience, or the blood test. The Department of Health says each year, thousands of Americans are admitted to hospitals because of pneumonia, brain inflammation and bacterial infections are now being linked to the pox.