UK children to get chickenpox vaccine with measles, mumps and rubella jab | Vaccines and immunisation
In the UK, children must be vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella, as well as chickenpox.
The NHS in four UK countries will administer a combined vaccine to protect young children against four diseases from Friday.
Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, Used since 1988is replaced with combined MMRV vaccine This includes vaccination against varicella, also known as varicella.
To reduce the risk of contracting chickenpox, babies will be offered two doses of the vaccine at 12 and 18 months of age. The first appointments at family doctor offices to administer the vaccine are made on Friday.
The move brings Britain in line with the approach already taken in the US, Canada, Australia and Germany, where the combined MMRV vaccine is part of routine vaccination programmes. It has sharply reduced cases of chickenpox and associated hospital admissions in these countries.
“This is a hugely positive moment for children and their families, as we provide protection against chickenpox for the first time, adding to the arsenal of routine vaccines we give children to protect them against serious disease,” said Dr Claire Fuller, joint medical director at NHS England.
Chickenpox is a common childhood infection that spreads easily. official figures Shows that half of children will get chickenpox by age four and 90% by age 10.
It is usually mild and causes itchy patches that can last up to two weeks. Children with this disease are advised to stay away from nursery or school until the spots have all crusted over, usually five days after they appear.
Chickenpox can also cause serious complications that require hospital care, such as chest infections and seizures.
Until now, most parents who wanted to have their child vaccinated against chickenpox had to pay a fee for this privately, usually around £150. But the NHS has also given it free to people who have been in close contact with someone who is at higher risk of becoming seriously ill with chickenpox.
“Today marks a historic milestone in protecting the health of our children. For the first time, the NHS is offering the chickenpox vaccine as part of our routine childhood immunization programme,” said health secretary Wes Streeting.
“Many families are faced with the threat of chickenpox, which can cause serious complications. The disease also causes serious anxiety and disruption, with children not attending nursery or school and parents having to stay at home to care for them.”
Helen Bedford, professor of child health at University College London, said Britain had delayed adopting other countries’ practices because of the link between chickenpox and shingles.
“After a chickenpox infection, the virus becomes dormant in the nerves, but can later reactivate and manifest as shingles. Shingles is a very nasty disease. If circulation of wild virus is reduced as a result of childhood vaccinations, there was concern that the lack of ‘complementary’ immunity you get when the virus circulates could lead to increased shingles.”
“We now have a shingles vaccine program for older people and are drawing on other countries’ experience with their chickenpox vaccine programme. The decision is evidence-based.”
The MMR vaccine is being replaced by the MMRV vaccine after the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization, which advises ministers, recommended the move.
The switch is predicted to save the NHS around £15 million a year from fewer GP visits and hospital admissions, and families around £24 million in lost income and productivity.
Scottish Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “This is a huge step forward in protecting the health of our children into adulthood and into future generations.”
