Chickenpox vaccination

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has recommended a vaccine against varicella be added to the UK’s routine childhood immunisation programme. The vaccine would be offered to all children in two doses, at 12 and 18 months of age.

The committee has submitted its recommendations to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), which will make the final decision on whether to implement a programme.

The JCVI has also recommended that a temporary catch-up programme for older children be included in the initial roll-out. Chickenpox cases were significantly reduced during the pandemic due to social restrictions, meaning there is currently a larger pool of children than usual without immunity. The catch-up programme would offer them protection against greater risks from the illness through later childhood or as adults, when chickenpox can be more severe.