Chicken pox and shingles are the same varicella virus. Once a person has had the chicken pox or has had the chicken pox vaccine, they now carry the virus within their body. The virus goes into a dormant stage, and it is not known what triggers the virus to reactivate. This "coming alive" of the virus usually occurs in people who are over 50, and it is called shingles the second time around. People with shingles should stay away from people who have never had chicken pox because it could cause them to get the virus. However, shingles itself cannot be passed on to someone else.