'Chickenpox can be serious': Parents urged to protect their children as rollout of chickenpox vaccine begins
Chickenpox can have serious or even fatal complications 🏥
- The chickenpox vaccine will now be offered to children for the first time on the NHS.
- Chickenpox (also known as varicella), can have serious or even fatal complications.
- GP practices will now offer a combined MMR vaccine that will protect against measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox.
The chickenpox vaccine will now be available on the NHS for the first time to help protect young children from serious or even fatal complications.
GP practices will offer children a combined MMRV vaccine at 12 months and 18 months of age, protecting them against chickenpox, measles, mumps and rubella.
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.”
What is chickenpox?
Chickenpox is a common infection in children, which causes an itchy, spotty rash. It spreads easily, with symptoms usually mild and resolving in one to two weeks. However, it can lead to serious complications, including chest infections and fits.
The latest data has shown that half of children will get chickenpox by the age of four and 90% by the time they are 10.
Children who catch chickenpox are advised to stay out of school until all spots have formed a scab, which is usually five days after the spots appear.
How to get the chickenpox vaccine?
Children across the UK will now be offered the MMRV vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox (varicella).
GP surgeries will be contacting families to let them know when they can book their child’s appointment, usually by letter, text message, phone call or email.
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 3 years, 4 months.
Children born between September 1, 2022 and June 30, 2024, will be offered one dose at 3 years 4 months, and the NHS is also planning a single-dose catch-up programme later in the year for older children born between January 1, 2020 and August 31, 2022.
Dr Gayatri Amirthalingam, Deputy Director of Immunisation at the UK Health Security Agency, said: “Most parents probably consider chickenpox to be a common and mild illness, but for some babies, young children and even adults, chickenpox can be very serious, leading to hospital admission and tragically, while rare, it can be fatal.
“Beyond the health risks, chickenpox also places a significant burden on families. Parents often need to take time off work to care for their sick child, and children miss valuable time at school or nursery.
“With a vaccine now being introduced into the NHS Childhood Vaccination programme, I hope parents will make it one of their New Year’s resolutions to ensure their child takes up the offer when invited. As the vaccine is a combined vaccine with MMR, your child will be protected against four serious diseases – measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox.
“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.”
The chickenpox vaccine is now available for children across the UK. You can find out more about the vaccine and how it is given at NHS.UK.