UK Health Minister Urges Parents to Vaccinate Children Against Chickenpox Amid Rise in "Vaccine Hesitancy"

Strategic Insights -

Health Minister Stephen Kinnock has urged parents to take up the new chickenpox jab as it is rolled out on the NHS in England from January, warning against the spread of misinformation from conspiracy theorists. The vaccine, which will form part of a new combined immunisation on the childhood vaccination programme, will protect some youngsters from severe complications from the virus. Data shows that none of the main childhood vaccines in England reached the 95% uptake target in 2024/25, with the lowest level of MMR vaccine uptake since 2010/11.

Key Takeaways:

  • The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) reports that none of the main childhood vaccines in England reached the 95% uptake target in 2024/25.
  • Only 91.9% of five-year-olds received one dose of the MMR vaccine, the lowest level since 2010/11.
  • The MMR vaccine uptake at 24 months stood at 88.9% in 2024/25, unchanged from the previous year, but again the lowest figure since 2009/10.
  • The new combined MMRV (measles, mumps, rubella and varicella) vaccine will be offered at GP practices from January 2026, and is expected to offer protection to around 500,000 children every year.
  • Chickenpox causes an estimated £24 million in lost income and productivity every year in the UK, with parents forced to take time off work to care for their children.
  • The rollout of the vaccine is also expected to save the NHS £15 million a year in costs for treating the illness.
  • The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which advises UK health departments, recommended the introduction of the jab on the NHS in November 2023.

Statistics:

  • 91.9% of five-year-olds received one dose of the MMR vaccine in 2024/25.
  • 83.7% of five-year-olds had received both MMR doses in 2024/25.
  • The MMR vaccine uptake at 24 months stood at 88.9% in 2024/25.
  • The UK spends an estimated £24 million per year on lost income and productivity due to chickenpox.
  • The new combined MMRV vaccine is expected to offer protection to around 500,000 children every year.
  • The NHS expects to save £15 million per year in costs for treating chickenpox.

Sources:

  • LBC
  • UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA)
  • Department of Health and Social Care
  • Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation
  • NHS England