Young children will now be offered protection against chickenpox as part of their routine vaccinations via the NHS.

It will be music to many parents’ ears, as chickenpox can trigger unpleasant symptoms and potentially life-threatening complications in young children.

What’s more, two doses of the vaccine can cost £150 per child if you pay privately.

How will the chickenpox vaccine be offered?

The MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella, is being upgraded to the MMRV vaccine, which protects against the aforementioned illnesses, as well as varicella (or chickenpox).

How does chickenpox impact children?

Varicella is a highly infectious disease caused by the varicella zoster virus. It mostly affects children but can be caught at any age.

The key symptom is an itchy, spotty rash that crusts over after a period of time.

Most varicella cases in children are relatively mild and can be managed at home, however some children will go on to develop complications, including bacterial infections such as group A streptococcus.

In rare cases it can cause swelling of the brain, called encephalitis; inflammation of the lungs, called pneumonitis; and stroke, which can result in hospitalisation and, in very rare cases, death.

Who will be offered the new vaccine?

• Children born on or after 1 January 2025 will be offered two doses of the MMRV vaccine........
  

  © HuffPost