Hi, and thank you for your comment - to be more specifice The (shingles) virus is spread through direct contact with fluid from the rash blisters caused by shingles. A person with active shingles can spread the virus when the rash is in the blister-phase. A person is not infectious before the blisters appear. Once the rash has developed crusts, the person is no longer contagious. The Chicken pox virus is contagious via the air, so much easier to spread and catch.