A vaccine to protect against chickenpox should become a routine childhood jab in the UK, government advisers have said, adding that the move would not only reduce the number of children who become sick from the virus, but also cut the number of serious cases that can become fatal. At present, the jab, known as the varicella vaccination after the varicella zoster virus that causes the disease, is only available on the NHS to children and adults who are in regular or close contact with people who could become very ill from a chickenpox infection or have a weakened immune system. This includes healthcare workers who have not had chickenpox before, as well as close contacts of vulnerable people. However, under the new proposal from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, the UK would join a number of other countries that already offer the varicella vaccination as part of routine childhood immunisation programmes, including Germany, Canada, Australia and the US. Prof Sir Andrew Pollard, the chair of the JCVI, said that while chickenpox was well known, and often considered a mild illness among children, that was not always the case. “For some babies, young children and even adults, chickenpox or its complications can be very serious, resulting in hospitalisation and even death,” he said. “Adding the varicella vaccine to the childhood immunisation programme will dramatically reduce the number of chickenpox cases in the community, leading to far fewer of those tragic, more serious cases.” Pollard said decades of evidence from countries including the US showed such programmes were safe and effective, adding that the introduction of the jab as part of routine childhood immunisations in the UK would have a “really positive impact on the health of young children”. The Department of Health will have the final decision on implementing the vaccine. The proposal marks a shift in thinking: the JCVI previously warned such a move might result in an increase in cases of shingles in adults, as it would reduce the circulation of the chickenpox virus in the community. Shingles occurs in people who have previously had chickenpox when the varicella zoster virus reactivates in the body. However, community circulation of chickenpox can help to boost their immunity and prevent this from happening. The JCVI says data from the US suggests that vaccinating children would not result in a rise in cases of shingles among adults. Under the proposal, all children would be offered two doses of the vaccine – one at 12 months and another at 18 months – while the recommendations also include provision for a temporary catch-up programme for older children. The move appears to have been spurred, in part, by the impact of the Covid pandemic, when social restrictions led to reduced mixing and hence a larger pool of children who have not yet had chickenpox. Research suggests the introduction of the chickenpox vaccine as part of the routine childhood immunisation programme would have widespread support: a survey of about 600 parents published earlier this year by researchers at Keele University and University College London revealed around that three-quarters said they would support such a move, with 18% saying they were unlikely to accept such a jab for their child and about 8% unsure. “The addition of a vaccine to the UK vaccination schedule to protect children against chickenpox will be welcomed by many parents,” said Helen Bedford, professor of children’s health at UCL and a co-author of that research. “Although chicken pox is usually a mild infection, children have an itchy rash and often a fever which makes them feel very miserable. Chicken pox infection can also result in serious complications such as nasty bacterial skin infections, pneumonia and inflammation of the brain. “Providing our children with this additional vaccine would be a welcome addition to the highly successful UK vaccination programme.”