How many days after receiving the antirabies (rabies) vaccine can the varicella (chickenpox) vaccine be administered?

Varicella Vaccine Can Be Given Immediately After Rabies Vaccine

The varicella vaccine can be administered on the same day as the rabies vaccine or at any interval thereafter without restriction. There is no required waiting period between these two vaccines because rabies vaccine is an inactivated (killed) vaccine, not a live vaccine, and therefore does not interfere with the immune response to varicella vaccine 1.

Key Principle: Live vs. Inactivated Vaccine Interactions

• Live vaccines only interfere with other live vaccines when given less than 28 days apart (unless administered simultaneously on the same day) 1
• Inactivated vaccines like rabies vaccine do not interfere with live vaccines such as varicella vaccine and can be given at any interval 1
• The 28-day spacing rule applies specifically to two or more live-virus vaccines given parenterally, not to combinations of live and inactivated vaccines 1

Practical Recommendations

• Administer varicella vaccine today if the patient is due for it and has no contraindications 1
• No waiting period is necessary after receiving rabies vaccine 1
• If the patient needs multiple vaccines, administering all eligible vaccines at the same visit is critical to ensure complete protection and reduce missed vaccination opportunities 1

Common Pitfall to Avoid

• Do not delay varicella vaccination unnecessarily - delaying vaccination increases the risk of disease exposure during the unprotected interval 1
• The confusion often arises from the well-known rule about spacing live vaccines, but this rule does not apply when one vaccine is inactivated (like rabies) 1

Rabies Vaccine Context

• The current rabies postexposure prophylaxis regimen uses 4 doses on days 0,3,7, and 14, which is safe and effective 2
• This inactivated vaccine schedule does not impact the timing of other vaccines 2