Chickenpox vaccine to be rolled out on NHS for first time

A vaccine which protects against chickenpox is to be rolled out across the NHS for the first time.

Youngsters across the UK will now be offered the vaccine along with the MMR jab, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella.

Health experts welcomed the news, saying chickenpox can be “very serious” for some.

The rollout of the vaccine could also help reduce the burden on families, they said, with many parents forced to take time off work to care for their children while they are sick.

The combined jab has been used in other countries for decades and is part of routine childhood vaccines in the US, Canada, Australia and Germany.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting told the Press Association: “This is going to make a real difference for children and families right across our country, because while chickenpox can be irritable and difficult for children, it can also be extremely serious and occasionally even fatal.

“The great thing about this new vaccine is that it combines the vaccine for chickenpox with MMR, which means that families can access this jab for their children, aged between 12 and 18 months.

“It’s going to make a real difference.

“It’s going to reach so many children, young people, keeping them healthy, making sure their parents don’t have to take weeks off work dealing with an irritable and unwell child.”

The rollout across the four nations of the UK comes after the combined MMRV jab was recommended by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) in 2023.

Scottish Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “This is a major step forward in protecting the health of our children into adulthood and for generations to come.

“Evidence from around the world shows this vaccine is safe and effective at preventing ill health in children, which also means fewer disruptions to school and work.”

Welsh Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care Jeremy Miles said: “Evidence shows the vaccine is safe and effective, and will help to prevent children becoming seriously ill.

“I would urge parents to take up the offer of vaccination, and if they have questions to speak to their GP for further information.”

NHS England said hundreds of thousands of children will be eligible for the jab from Friday.

It said GPs will be contacting families to offer the MMRV vaccine as part of the routine childhood vaccination programme.

Chickenpox, also known as varicella, is a common infection which spreads easily among young children.

It is usually mild but can lead to serious complications and in rare cases can be fatal.

Around £24 million is lost in income and productivity in the UK every year as parents take time to care for their children, estimates suggest.

The vaccine is also expected to save the health service £15 million a year in costs for treating the condition, NHS England said.

Dr Claire Fuller, national medical director for NHS England, said: “This is a hugely positive moment for children and their families, providing protection against chickenpox for the first time and adding to the arsenal of routine vaccinations we give to children to safeguard them against serious illnesses.

“From now, the combined vaccine to protect against measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox will be available at children’s routine vaccination appointments to keep children healthier and prevent sickness from these highly contagious viruses.

“The new vaccine will also help the health service move its focus from sickness to prevention, and keep more children safe and in school.”

Dr Gayatri Amirthalingam, deputy director of immunisation at the UK Health Security Agency, added: “With a vaccine now being introduced into the NHS childhood vaccination programme starting today, I hope parents will make it one of their New Year resolutions to ensure their child takes up the offer, when invited.

“This vaccine has been used extensively for many years in a number of countries and has been shown to be highly effective with a good safety profile.

“The programme will have a really positive impact on the health of young children.”

NHS England said children born on or after January 1 2025 will be offered two doses of the MMRV vaccine at 12 months and 18 months, while children born between July 1 2024 and December 31 2024 will be offered two doses at 18 months and three years and four months.

Children born between September 1 2022 and June 30 2024 will be offered one dose at three years and four months, and the NHS is also planning a single-dose catch-up programme later in the year for children born between January 1 2020 and August 31 2022.

Professor Steven Turner, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said: “It is welcome news that a chickenpox vaccine is now being rolled out across England and the whole of the UK in order to protect children and young people.

“Vaccinations are proven to be a very effective way to protect children’s health and prevent serious illness.

“Making sure your child is vaccinated is a vital step for parents and carers in keeping them safe.”

Professor Victoria Tzortziou Brown, chairwoman of the Royal College of GPs, said: “The NHS childhood vaccination programme has been one of the great successes of modern medicine, and we’re pleased to see it being expanded to protect children against chickenpox through what will now be the combined MMRV vaccine.”