Free chickenpox vaccine to be offered to children for first time

• England's NHS is set to introduce a chickenpox vaccine from January 2026, integrating it into the routine childhood immunisation programme.
• The vaccine will be offered as part of a new combined MMRV (measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella) jab, eventually replacing the existing MMR vaccine.
• This initiative aims to protect around 500,000 children annually from severe chickenpox complications and reduce the burden on working parents.
• The rollout is expected to save the NHS £15 million a year in treatment costs and address the estimated £24 million in lost income and productivity caused by the illness.
• The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recommended the jab in November 2023, marking the first addition to the routine childhood vaccination programme since 2015.

IN FULL

Millions of children to receive chickenpox vaccine on NHS