For many parents, chickenpox is often seen as little more than an unavoidable inconvenience. But anyone who has cared for a miserable child covered in painful blisters or unable to sleep because of the relentless itching knows that chickenpox is not always mild. I had chickenpox as a six-year-old, and I still remember the intensity of the rash and how unwell I felt at the time.
The good news is that, from 2026, the NHS will offer chickenpox vaccination to children across the UK. This is a major change in childhood immunisation policy and brings the UK into line with many other countries, including the USA, Germany and Australia, where chickenpox vaccination has been used successfully for years. The new vaccination programme aims to spare children from unnecessary illness and reduce serious complications.
What is chickenpox?
Chickenpox is a highly contagious infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus. It spreads very easily through coughs, sneezes and close contact. The illness usually begins with fever, tiredness and feeling unwell before the typical chickenpox rash appears. Most children recover within one or two weeks, but the experience can be unpleasant for the whole family.
Children are often exhausted, irritable and unable to sleep because of intense itching. Parents need time off work, and children are unable to attend school or nursery.
Although most children recover fully, chickenpox can lead to complications. For example, the blisters can become infected, sometimes leaving permanent scars. Some children can develop pneumonia or inflammation of the brain (encephalitis), leading to their being admitted to the hospital. Others become dehydrated because they are too unwell to eat or drink properly.
This is why doctors believe preventing chickenpox through vaccination is preferable to allowing children to “catch it naturally.”
Chickenpox vaccine
The chickenpox vaccine has now become part of the routine NHS childhood immunisation schedule. The vaccine will usually be given using a combined MMRV vaccine.
Parents are already familiar with the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella. The additional “V” stands for Varicella, the name used internationally for the virus that causes chickenpox.
The vaccine contains a very weakened form of the virus that safely trains the immune system to recognise and fight infection without causing the disease itself in healthy children.
It is highly effective. After two doses, it provides around 97% protection against chickenpox in children and also gives very strong protection against severe disease and hospitalisation. Children who do develop chickenpox after vaccination usually experience a much milder illness with fewer spots, less fever and a faster recovery.
Who will be offered the vaccine?
The NHS programme is being introduced depending on a child’s date of birth. Children born on or after January 1, 2025, will receive two doses of MMRV vaccine: one at 12 months and another at 18 months. Children born between July 1 and December 31, 2024, will receive two doses later, at 18 months and again at 3 years and 4 months. Children born between September 1, 2022 and June 30, 2024, will receive one dose at 3 years and 4 months.
There will also be a catch-up programme for children born between January 1, 2020 and August 31, 2022, who have never had chickenpox or the vaccine. These children will be offered a single catch-up dose between November 2026 and March 2028. GP surgeries will contact eligible families directly. The vaccine is given as an injection in the arm or thigh.
For eligible children, the vaccine will be provided through GP surgeries. Families eligible for the catch-up programme will also be contacted by their GP. Chickenpox vaccination has already been available privately in the UK for many years, but the cost can be high. Some parents may still choose private vaccination if their child is not eligible for an NHS vaccine.
The vaccine is not suitable for everyone. Children with severely weakened immune systems — for example, due to chemotherapy, high-dose steroid treatment or advanced HIV infection — may not be able to receive the vaccine.
Children with a severe allergy to vaccine ingredients, such as gelatine or neomycin, should also avoid the vaccine. Vaccination will need to be postponed if a child has a high fever or is seriously unwell at the time of their appointment.
However, for the vast majority of healthy children, the vaccine is very safe.
Are there side effects?
The chickenpox vaccine can cause side effects, but these are usually mild and short-lived. The most common reactions are soreness or redness at the injection site, mild fever, or feeling tired and irritable for a day or two. Some children can develop a rash between six and 42 days after vaccination. This is usually mild and not contagious.
As a precaution, parents are advised to avoid close contact with vulnerable people if a rash appears. Serious reactions, such as severe allergic reactions, are extremely rare.
Why vaccination matters
Vaccinating children against chickenpox does far more than spare families from the burden of caring for a sick child. It also means fewer sleepless nights, less time off from school and work, and fewer hospital admissions and serious complications. It also helps protect people who are most at risk such as babies, pregnant women and those with weakened immune systems.
Vaccines have transformed child health over the past century by preventing disease before it causes harm. The arrival of the chickenpox vaccine on the NHS is another important step forward. For parents wondering whether vaccination is worthwhile, the answer is simple: preventing illness and serious complications is always the best choice.
- Dr Azeem has been a GP for over 30 years and is also a professor of primary care and public health at Imperial College London’s School of Public Health
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
