Chickenpox vaccination available to children next year

For the first time, a free chickenpox vaccination will be offered to children in Northern Ireland.

The jab will be available from 2026, as part of the routine infant vaccination schedule.

From January, eligible children will be offered a combined vaccine for measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (MMRV) – which is the clinical term for chickenpox.

It's as expert researchers advise there's a significant impact of severe cases of chickenpox on children’s health, hospital admissions and associated costs.

The vaccination aims to reduce school and nursery absences, as well as prevent serious secondary infections or other complications, which can follow chickenpox.

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 Health Minister, Mike Nesbitt, 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.”

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