In the UK, there are several vaccinations that are recommended by the NHS for children to minimise the risk of them catching diseases that could be fatal when infected at a young age. One vaccine that isn’t on the list is one for chickenpox.
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Chickenpox is an ailment most children catch and often, parents will consider it a common and mild illness. However, there are cases and complications that can be more severe, causing hospitalisation and sometimes, even death according to an expert.
It has just been announced that the NHS is now considering adding a chickenpox vaccine to the childhood immunisation programme.
Chickenpox vaccine to be added to the childhood immunisation programme?
As per Sky News, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has advised the NHS to now include the chickenpox vaccine as part of childhood vaccinations. The vaccine, known as the varicella jab, is recommended for children aged 12 months and 18 months and to be given in two doses. The JCVI also recommends a catch-up programme for older children.
According to data received from other countries that offer the jab, it would ‘dramatically reduce’ the spreading of chickenpox and potentially limit the number of severe cases in children.
Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, chairman of the JCVI, said:
For some babies, young children and even adults, chickenpox or its complications can be very serious, resulting in hospitalisation and even death.
Adding:
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.
Why is the NHS only considering the chickenpox vaccine now?
Other countries such as the US and Australia, but also European countries like Germany and Greece offer the varicella jab and have done so for several years now. Professor Pollard explained that these countries have shown that the vaccination is safe:
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.
According to Sky News, the NHS hasn’t introduced the vaccine before as it was concerned that the jab would increase the risk of adults catching chickenpox and shingles as adults, which is typically when cases are more severe.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is now looking into the recommendation, but no decision has been made yet.
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Sources used:
Sky News: ‘All children in UK should be given chickenpox vaccine, experts tell NHS’
