From today, the NHS vaccination programme is being expanded to include chickenpox, also known as varicella, for the first time.
GP practices will offer children a combined MMRV vaccination at 12 and 18 months of age, meaning children will be protected from varicella as well as 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.”
The latest data shows that half of all children will contract chickenpox by the age of four, and 90 per cent will have it by ten.
The virus is a common infection that spreads easily, and results in a sore, pox-like rash. Historically, families would throw “chickenpox parties” to give their children the infection, so that they would increase their immunity to varicella as they got older.
Children are typically asked to stay away from school when they have the virus, and research has shown that childhood chickenpox leads to an estimated £24 million lost annually in income and productivity.
Half of children will contract chickenpox by the age of four, according to data
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This rollout is also expected to save the health service £15 million a year in costs associated with treating the condition.
Wes Streeting, the health secretary, said: “Today marks a historic milestone in protecting our children’s health — for the first time, the NHS is offering chickenpox vaccination as part of our routine childhood immunisation programme.
“Many families have faced the threat of chickenpox, which can cause serious complications. The disease also brings significant worry and disruption, with children missing nursery or school and parents forced to stay home to look after them.
“This new protection will give parents reassurance that their children are protected from a disease that sends thousands to hospital every year. Families will save both time and money — no longer facing lost income from taking time off work or having to fork out for private vaccinations.
“We are determined to give every child the best start in life. I urge all parents to take up this offer when their GP contacts them — vaccines save lives.”
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Children born on or after January 1 last year will be offered two doses of the MMRV vaccine at 12 and 18 months. Children born between July 1 2024 and 31 December 2024 will be offered two doses, one at 18 months and a second a 3 years, 4 months.
Children born between September 2022 and June 2024 will be offered a dose at 3 years, 4 months old, and will be part of a singe-dose catch-up scheme for older children.
Parents can book a vaccination with their GP surgery.
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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.”
Amirthalingam added that chickenpox also placed a “significant” burden for parents and families. The vaccine as also been safely used in countries such as the US, Canada, Australia and Germany for decades.