Chickenpox vaccine being rolled out on NHS for first time

Chickenpox Vaccine Introduced on NHS for the First Time

The NHS has begun rolling out a chickenpox vaccine nationwide for the first time, marking a major expansion of the UK’s routine childhood immunisation programme.

The vaccine will be offered to children alongside the MMR jab, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella. Health officials say the move will help keep more children in school and reduce the need for parents to take time off work to care for sick children.

The combined MMRV vaccine has been used for years in countries such as the United States, Canada and Australia, and its introduction in the UK has been widely welcomed by health experts. The rollout follows a recommendation by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) in 2023. In England alone, hundreds of thousands of children will be eligible from today.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the vaccine would “make a real difference for children and families.”

“While chickenpox can be uncomfortable and distressing for children, it can also be extremely serious and, in rare cases, fatal,” he said. “This new vaccine is particularly beneficial because it combines protection against chickenpox with the MMR vaccine, making it easier for families to access.”

Who is eligible?

• Children born on or after 1 January 2025 will receive two doses of the MMRV vaccine at 12 months and 18 months.

• Those born between 1 July 2024 and 31 December 2024 will be offered one dose at 18 months and a second at three years and four months.

• Children born between 1 September 2022 and 30 June 2024 will receive one dose at three years and four months.

• A single-dose catch-up programme is planned for children born between 1 January 2020 and 31 August 2022.

NHS England said GP practices will contact families as part of the routine childhood vaccination schedule.

Dr Gayatri Amirthalingam, deputy director of immunisation at the UK Health Security Agency, said the vaccine has proven to be “highly effective” in other countries and has a strong safety record.

Dr Claire Fuller, national medical director for NHS England, described the rollout as a “hugely positive moment” for families.

“This provides protection against chickenpox for the first time through the routine programme and strengthens the range of vaccines we offer to safeguard children against serious illnesses,” she said, adding that the vaccine will help keep more children healthy and in school.