"All young children in the UK can now be offered protection against chickenpox for the first time on the NHS. The vaccine will be combined with the existing MMR jab, given at 12 and 18 months of age, which already helps protect against measles, mumps and rubella. Children up to the age of six can catch up on doses when invited."
"Chickenpox is very common in young children. The main feature is an itchy, spotty rash which blisters then scabs over. It can be painful, and cover the body from head to toe. Children often feel unwell for several days, with a fever and muscle aches. It also spreads easily. Some 90% of children under the age of 10 catch chickenpox at some point, and a week off school or nursery is fairly common."
All young children in the UK can now be offered protection against chickenpox on the NHS through a combined MMRV vaccine. The MMRV jab will be given at 12 and 18 months, and children up to six can catch up when invited. The combined vaccine is expected to reduce the many thousands of families affected each year and prevent the most severe cases. Previously parents paid up to 200 to buy the vaccine privately. From 1 January the vaccine enters the routine schedule in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with Scotland launching in early January. Chickenpox commonly causes an itchy blistering rash, fever, muscle aches, and can lead to serious complications.
Read at www.bbc.com
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