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All children in UK should be given chickenpox vaccine, experts tell NHS

The chickenpox vaccine has been given in other countries for many years but the NHS has always said there is a worry that introducing it in the UK could increase the risk of chickenpox and shingles in adults.

Tuesday 14 November 2023 19:07, UK

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The chickenpox vaccine should be introduced on the NHS for children, scientists advising the government have recommended.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) said the jab should be given to youngsters in two doses when they are aged 12 months and 18 months.

It said data from countries suggests the vaccine - also known as the varicella jab - would dramatically reduce circulating chickenpox and prevent most severe cases in children.

The JCVI, which advises UK health departments, has also recommended a temporary catch-up programme for older children be included.

Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, chairman of the JCVI, said: "Chickenpox is well known and most parents will probably consider it a common and mild illness among children.

"But for some babies, young children and even adults, chickenpox or its complications can be very serious, resulting in hospitalisation and even death.

"Adding the varicella vaccine to the childhood immunisation programme will dramatically reduce the number of chickenpox cases in the community, leading to far fewer of those tragic, more serious cases."

Everything you need to know about chickenpox

What is chickenpox?
Chickenpox (known medically as varicella) is caused by a virus called the varicella-zoster virus. It's spread quickly and easily from someone who is infected. Chickenpox is most common in children under the age of 10. Children usually catch chickenpox in winter and spring, particularly between March and May.

What are the symptoms?
Chickenpox causes a rash of red, itchy spots that turn into fluid-filled blisters. They then crust over to form scabs, which eventually drop off.

How do you catch it?
You can catch chickenpox by being in the same room as someone with it. It's also spread by touching things that have fluid from the blisters on them.

Is there any treatment for chickenpox?
There is no treatment for chickenpox. But you can use remedies from your pharmacy that can help symptoms. These include paracetamol for fever and calamine lotion and cooling gels to ease itching. Adults with chickenpox may be helped by taking antiviral medicine if it's diagnosed early enough.

What about chickenpox during pregnancy?
Most people get chickenpox during childhood, so it's rare to get chickenpox when you're pregnant. If you do get chickenpox when you're pregnant, there's a small risk of your baby being very ill when it's born. Call 111 if you have not had chickenpox before and you've been near someone with it.

What is a chickenpox party?
Chickenpox parties were a popular way to make sure your child was infected with chickenpox at a young age when the infection would more likely be mild and not lead to serious complications. Medical professionals do not agree with people holding such events.

Information from NHS

Read more on chickenpox:
Giving children chickenpox jab 'could end riAG百家乐在线官网 pox parties'
George Ezra forced to delay gigs after contracting chickenpox

He added: "We now have decades of evidence from the US and other countries showing that introducing this programme is safe, effective and will have a really positive impact on the health of young children."

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) will now look at the recommendation.

The chickenpox vaccine has been given in other countries, including the US and Australia, for many years but the NHS has always said there is a worry that introducing it in the UK could increase the risk of chickenpox and shingles in adults.

It said that if a childhood chickenpox vaccination programme was introduced, people would not catch the virus as children, leaving unvaccinated children to get chickenpox as adults, when cases can be more severe.

But thinking around the vaccine has now changed.

'She'd have her whole life ahead of her'

Speaking to Sky News, Angie, a nurse whose daughter Alana died from a severe case of chickenpox, said she was unaware of the chance to vaccinate her child.

"I used to immunise children, but all the courses and things I've been on about childhood immunisation, never was chickenpox mentioned," she said.

"And if I'd have known that, I could have made that choice. She'd have her whole life ahead of her."

Angie also said: "We were just doing things that a parent shouldn't be doing: Coming home and explaining to our six-year-old that he wasn't going to see his sister again.

"People were like 'oh how's Alana with her chickenpox?' And well you know what, we were in hospital last night and she died. It was horrible."

Related Topics

Vaccination