CHILDREN in Northern Ireland are set to be offered the chickenpox vaccination for free from next year.
The Department of Health has confirmed that from January 1, 2026 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.
“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,” Northern Ireland’s Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said in a statement.
"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,” he added.
Children will be offered the chickenpox vaccination in Northern Ireland for free from January (Pic: Gov.uk)“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."
The MMRV vaccine will be rolled out across Britain and Northern Ireland next year.
The move follows advice from the British Government’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation based on research showing that severe cases of chickenpox can have a “significant impact” on children’s health, hospital admissions and associated costs.
Northern Ireland’s Chief Medical Officer, Professor Sir Michael McBride is encouraging eligible families to take up the vaccine once it becomes available.
“Chickenpox is a highly contagious infectious disease,” he said.
“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.”
He added: "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 is already part of the routine vaccine schedules in several countries, including the US, Canada, Australia and Germany.
Eligibility for the vaccine will be based on the age of the child at the time that the vaccionations become available, a Department of Health spokesperson confirmed.
“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,” they said.
“As with other childhood immunisations, parents will be contacted to arrange an appointment if their child is eligible.”
See More: Chickenpox, Northern Ireland, Vaccine
