NHS to Offer Chickenpox Vaccine to Children from January

Strategic Insights -

The National Health Service (NHS) has announced plans to offer a chickenpox vaccine to children on the NHS for the first time, starting from January 2024. The vaccine will be added to the combined measles, mumps, and rubella jab (MMR) and will be administered to around 500,000 at-risk children per year. The move aims to protect children from the serious complications associated with chickenpox, which can lead to hospital admission and in rare cases, be fatal.

Key Takeaways:

  • The NHS will offer a chickenpox vaccine to children on the NHS for the first time, starting from January 2024.
  • The vaccine will be added to the combined measles, mumps, and rubella jab (MMR) and will be administered to around 500,000 at-risk children per year.
  • The vaccine aims to protect children from the serious complications associated with chickenpox, which can lead to hospital admission and in rare cases, be fatal.
  • Chickenpox causes an estimated £24 million loss in income and productivity per year, with parents taking time off work to care for their children.
  • The rollout of the vaccine is set to save the NHS £15 million a year in costs for treating the illness.
  • The MMRV (measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella) inoculation will eventually replace the MMR vaccine, which is currently offered to babies at 12 months and 18 months.
  • The UK has seen a decline in childhood vaccination rates in recent years, with the Royal College of GPs warning of potential outbreaks of infectious diseases.
  • The chickenpox vaccine is a routine jab in places such as the US.

Statistics:

  • £24 million: Estimated annual loss in income and productivity due to chickenpox.
  • £15 million: Estimated annual savings to the NHS in costs for treating chickenpox after the rollout of the vaccine.
  • 500,000: Number of at-risk children expected to receive the vaccine per year.
  • 1.2 million: Number of MMR doses administered annually (HSC 2020).
  • 2015: Last time a new disease was added to the routine childhood vaccination programme.

Sources:

  • "NHS to offer chickenpox vaccine for first time from January" by Martin Bagot for The Mirror (2023)
  • NHS (2023) - "New measles, mumps and rubella jab to be given to children from January"
  • Department of Health and Social Care (2020) - " Annual Report and Accounts"