Children in Northern Ireland will be offered a free vaccination
against chickenpox for the first time from 2026.
From January, eligible children will be offered a combined
vaccine for measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (MMRV) – the
clinical term for chickenpox - as part of the routine infant
vaccination schedule.
The rollout of the MMRV vaccine is based on expert scientific
advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination
and Immunisation (JCVI), following research showing the
significant impact of severe cases of chickenpox on children's
health, hospital admissions and associated costs.
The Health Minister, , said: "We are
empowering parents to safeguard their children against chickenpox
and its potentially serious complications with a vaccine, which
has been proven safe and effective in other countries across the
world.
"This vaccine prioritises children's wellbeing and will
reduce school and nursery absences, while supporting parents by
minimising the need for take time off work to care for sick
children. I am committed to ensuring every child receives the
best possible start in life, and the introduction of this vaccine
into the routine childhood vaccination schedule will help achieve
this.
Chief Medical Officer Professor Sir Michael McBride said:
“Chickenpox is a highly contagious infectious disease. While most
cases of chickenpox in children are relatively mild, many
children are unwell for several days and in some cases,
chickenpox can lead to hospitalisations from serious secondary
infections or other complications.
"Immunisation is one of the most effective ways of preventing
illness from infectious disease. I encourage parents and
guardians of those eligible to avail of the vaccination, when
invited to do so, to help protect their children from this
disease.”
The chickenpox vaccine has been safely used for decades and is
already part of the routine vaccine schedules in several
countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia and
Germany.
This is the first time protection against another disease has
been added to the routine childhood vaccination programme since
the MenB vaccine in 2015.
The eligibility criteria for children will be set out in clinical
guidance covering which age groups will be offered the MMRV
vaccine and when, to ensure the most effective protection for
children.
As with other childhood immunisations, parents will be contacted
to arrange an appointment if their child is eligible.
Notes to editors:
- The MMRV vaccine will be available to eligible children from
1st January 2026; additional details about this rollout will
be available in due course
- Eligibility will be based on how old a child is when the
programme starts in January 2026 and parents will be provided
with more information nearer the time. Meanwhile, it's important
that children continue to come forward for their vaccinations
when they are due.
- Research shows that chickenpox in childhood results in an
estimated £24 million in lost income and productivity every year
in the UK: https://www.lse.ac.uk/news/latest-news-from-lse/d-apr-22/chickenpox-and-lost-productivity
- For information on the symptoms and treatment of Chickenpox,
see the NI Direct page: Chickenpox | nidirect
