Buncombe County health officials announced a chickenpox outbreak at an Asheville private school on Tuesday. At least one additional case of chickenpox was found in the community, BCHHS officials said. BCHHS is working with school administrators to follow proper protocols for notifying the parents and children exposed. BCHHS strongly urges everyone in our community to be immunized against vaccine preventable illnesses to avoid becoming sick, spreading illness and missing days of school and work. Chickenpox is easily passed from one person to another through the air by coughing or sneezing or through the fluid from a blister of a person who has chickenpox. Although it is usually not a serious illness, it often causes children and their parents to miss days at school and work. Most cases of chickenpox in healthy children are treated with bed rest, fluids, and fever control.Dr. Jennifer Mullendore, the Buncombe County Medical Director, wants the community to be a part of the shield of protection that immunizations provide. “We want to be clear: Vaccination is the best protection from chickenpox. Two doses of varicella vaccine can offer significant protection against childhood chickenpox and shingles as an adult. When we see high numbers of unimmunized children and adults, we know that an illness like chickenpox can spread easily throughout the community- into our playgrounds, grocery stores, and sports teams. Unvaccinated people put others at risk, especially infants who are too young to be vaccinated or those who are medically fragile or immunocompromised. As a medical provider and a parent myself, I urge everyone in our community to get vaccinated against chickenpox.”