The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says shingles is caused by varicella zoster virus (VZV), the same virus that causes chickenpox.
It explains: “If you have shingles, direct contact with the fluid from your rash blisters can spread VZV to people who have never had chickenpox or never received the chickenpox vaccine.
“If they get infected, they will develop chickenpox, not shingles. They could then develop shingles later in life.
“The risk of spreading VZV to others is low if you cover the shingles rash. People with shingles cannot spread the virus before their rash blisters appear or after the rash crusts.”
Source: | This article first appeared on Express.co.uk