You cannot catch shingles from another person, but you can catch the virus that causes it

Shingles itself is not contagious. The virus that causes shingles — varicella-zoster — spreads from person to person, but when it does, the infected person develops chickenpox, not shingles. Shingles only happens when the virus reactivates inside someone who already had chickenpox years or decades earlier.

The distinction matters because it changes what you need to do if you are around someone with shingles. You cannot catch their shingles. But if you have never had chickenpox and have not been vaccinated against it, contact with the fluid from their shingles blisters could give you chickenpox.

Key Takeaways

  • Shingles is not contagious, but the varicella-zoster virus that causes it can spread to people who have never had chickenpox.
  • The virus spreads through direct contact with fluid from shingles blisters, not through coughing or sneezing.
  • If you have had chickenpox or received the chickenpox vaccine, you cannot catch chickenpox from someone with shingles.
  • Covering the shingles rash and washing hands after contact reduces the risk of spreading the virus to unprotected people.
  • Pregnant people, newborns, and people with weakened immune systems should avoid contact with shingles blisters if they have never had chickenpox.

How the virus spreads from shingles blisters

The varicella-zoster virus lives in the fluid inside shingles blisters. When that fluid touches the skin or mucous membranes of someone who has never had chickenpox, the virus can infect them. This is direct contact transmission — the virus does not travel through the air in coughs or sneezes.

The risk is highest when blisters are open and weeping. Once the blisters crust over, the virus is no longer easily transmitted. A person with shingles can reduce transmission risk by keeping the rash covered with clean, dry bandages and washing their hands after touching the area.

Who is at risk of catching chickenpox from shingles

You are at risk only if you meet two conditions: you have never had chickenpox, and you have not been vaccinated against it. If either of those is true, direct contact with shingles blisters could give you chickenpox.

Certain groups face higher stakes if they catch chickenpox this way. Pregnant people who have never had chickenpox can develop severe pneumonia. Newborns whose mothers are not immune can develop life-threatening chickenpox. People with weakened immune systems — from HIV, chemotherapy, or immunosuppressant medications — can develop severe or prolonged illness. If you fall into any of these groups and have never had chickenpox, avoid contact with shingles blisters.

Why you cannot catch shingles itself

Shingles happens only when varicella-zoster reactivates inside nerve cells where it has been dormant since a person's chickenpox infection. The virus does not travel from one person's reactivated infection into another person's dormant virus. Instead, if the virus from shingles blisters infects someone new, that person's immune system encounters the virus for the first time and develops chickenpox — the primary infection, not the reactivation.

Once you have had chickenpox, the virus remains in your nerve cells for life. No amount of exposure to someone else's shingles will reactivate your own dormant virus or cause you to develop shingles again. Your immune system already recognizes the virus.

What to do if you have been exposed to shingles

If you have had chickenpox or received the chickenpox vaccine, exposure to shingles carries no risk to you. You do not need to avoid the person or take any precautions.

If you have never had chickenpox and have not been vaccinated, avoid direct contact with the rash. Do not touch the blisters or the fluid inside them. If you must be in the same room, ask the person with shingles to keep the rash covered. Wash your hands after any contact. If you are concerned about your immunity status, you can ask your doctor about the chickenpox vaccine — it is available to adults who have never had the infection.

Shingles and pregnancy

If you are pregnant and have never had chickenpox, contact with shingles blisters could expose you to the virus. Chickenpox during pregnancy carries risks including severe pneumonia and, in rare cases, birth defects if infection occurs in the first 20 weeks. If you are pregnant and unsure whether you have had chickenpox, ask your doctor about testing your immunity before any potential exposure.

The chickenpox vaccine cannot be given during pregnancy because it is a live vaccine. If you are planning pregnancy and have never had chickenpox, discuss vaccination with your doctor beforehand.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I catch shingles from my parent who has it?

No. If you have had chickenpox or the vaccine, you cannot catch shingles from them. If you have never had chickenpox and have not been vaccinated, you could catch chickenpox — not shingles — from contact with their blisters. Chickenpox and shingles are the same virus at different stages, but shingles only develops in people whose virus is reactivating, not in newly infected people.

Is shingles contagious before the rash appears?

No. The virus spreads through the fluid in blisters. Before the rash develops, there are no blisters and no fluid to transmit. Once the rash crusts over, transmission risk drops sharply. The contagious window is roughly when blisters are open and weeping.

What if I touch someone's shingles rash but do not have symptoms?

If you have had chickenpox or the vaccine, touching the rash will not infect you. If you have never had chickenpox, one touch does not may provide infection — transmission requires the virus to reach your skin or mucous membranes. Wash your hands afterward to reduce any risk, and avoid touching your face until you do.

Can I get shingles twice from the same person?

No. You cannot catch shingles from another person at all. If you have had chickenpox, your immune system prevents both chickenpox and shingles from being transmitted to you by someone else. Shingles is a reactivation of your own dormant virus, not something you acquire from outside.

Should I stay away from work if I have shingles?

You do not need to stay home if your rash is covered. Keep the blisters covered with clean bandages, wash your hands regularly, and you can be around coworkers who have had chickenpox or the vaccine. Stay home if you cannot keep the rash covered, or if your workplace includes pregnant people, newborns, or people with weakened immune systems who have never had chickenpox.