The chickenpox virus has a fascinating evolutionary history that continues to affect peoples’ health today

Most children today receive the chickenpox vaccine as a routine part of childhood immunizations. Solidcolours/E+ via Getty ImagesIn July 2021, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention presentation obtained by the press noted that the delta variant of COVID-19 “is as transmissible as chickenpox.” As some researchers have pointed out, the CDC’s comparison was an overstatement. Based on various studies and projections, on average a person infected with the delta strain of COVID-19 can infect si