For the first time, a free chickenpox vaccination will be offered to children in England by the NHS from January next year. Here we explore the background to the rollout.
What is chickenpox?
Chickenpox is a highly contagious infection caused by the varicella zoster virus, and is common in the UK. It results in an itchy rash, and can also cause aches, a high temperature and loss of appetite, according to the NHS.
Most people catch chickenpox in childhood – about 90% have had it by the age of 10, according to UK Health Security Agency – and tend to have a mild illness, but it can also occur in adults who have not previously been infected. These infections tend to be more severe.
Once someone has had chickenpox, the virus remains dormant in the body. If reactivated it can cause shingles. This tends to occur in cases where the immune system is weak. The UK has had a universal shingles vaccination programme in place for older adults since 2013.
Who can currently get a chickenpox vaccination on the NHS?
A number of services offer the varicella vaccination privately, for about £150 for two doses, but the jabs are available for free on the NHS to certain groups.
The NHS says these include children and adults who are in regular or close contact with people who could become very ill from a chickenpox infection or have a weakened immune system.
What has the UK government announced?
From January, GP practices in England will offer eligible children a combined vaccine for measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (MMRV) as part of the routine infant vaccination schedule.
The decision to roll out the MMRV vaccine was based on expert scientific advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), officials said, after research showed the significant impact of severe cases of chickenpox on children’s health, hospital admissions and associated costs.
Healthcare policy is devolved in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
What happened to chickenpox parties?
Some may remember being dragged off as children to meet itchy, spotty friends so they could catch the virus when young, but times have changed.
The introduction of a chickenpox vaccine not only prevents children from experiencing a pretty miserable rash but could also save lives. Some children develop nasty complications including inflammation of the lungs, inflammation of the brain and stroke, which in some cases can be fatal.
It could also help others by reducing the circulation of the chickenpox virus in the community, thereby protecting adults who have not previously had the disease, including pregnant women and their unborn children, for whom chickenpox can be dangerous.
Is England unique on this?
No, in fact it is behind a number of other countries, including Germany, Canada, Australia and the US. Data from those countries suggests that incorporating the chickenpox vaccine into routine childhood immunisation programmes reduces cases of the disease and related hospital admissions.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the chickenpox vaccination programme in the US has prevented 91m cases, 238,000 hospital admissions and 2,000 deaths over a 25-year period.
