Chickenpox jab to become part of routine childhood vaccinations

GP practices to offer children a combined MMRV vaccine

Starting this month, chickenpox vaccines are to be offered as part of routine childhood immunisations.

Manx Care says protection against the disease is being included as part of the Island's vaccination programme for the first time, in a bid to prevent young children getting seriously ill.

The introduction of the jab also aligns the Isle of Man with the updated NHS childhood vaccination programme.

From now on, GP practices will start to offer children a combined MMRV vaccine at 12 months and 18 months of age to add chickenpox to the protections against measles, mumps and rubella.

Most of us will have had chickenpox when we were younger - it's a common infection which spreads easily. Usually mild, but Manx Care says it can lead to serious complications which need hospitalisation, including chest infections and fits.

In this day and age, half of children will contract chickenpox by the age of four, and 90 percent by the age of ten.

New schedule

Under the new schedule, children born on or after 1 January 2025 will be offered their first dose of the MMRV vaccine at 12 month and their second dose at 18 months

Meanwhile, those born between 1 July 2024 and 31 December 2024 will be offered their first dose of the MMRV vaccine at 18 months and their second at three years, four months

Children born between 1 September 2022 and 30 June 2024 will be offered one dose of MMRV at three years, four months (instead of their second dose of MMR)

A single-dose catch-up programme is planned for later in the year for older children born between 1 January 2020 and 31 August 2022 who have not already had chickenpox or been vaccinated against it.

Find the new schedule, in full, here.

Why vaccinate?

Children who catch chickenpox are typically advised to stay off school until all spots have formed a scab, which is usually five days after the spots appear. 

Manx Care says the new vaccine will mean children miss fewer days in nursery or school and reduce time parents need to take off work to care for them.

Executive Medical Director of Manx Care, Dr. Chris Stockport says: 'The new MMRV vaccine is a great step forward for our childhood immunisation programme.

'Eligibility for the MMRV vaccine is dependent on your child’s birth date, so we would advise looking at the new childhood immunisation schedules to determine whether your child is eligible.

'Vaccinations are our best protection from serious illness. The new MMRV vaccination will not only help to protect from serious illnesses like measles, mumps and rubella but will now help will reduce cases of chickenpox and protect children from serious complications that can cause hospitalisation, such as bacterial infections like strep A, brain and lung inflammation and stroke.

'The new schedule also means that the second dose of the MMR vaccine will be brought forward from 3 years, 4 months to 18 months, to give children earlier protection from measles, mumps and rubella.

'I encourage parents and carers to get your child vaccinated when they are due to help give them the best start in life.'

Director of Public Health, Dr. Matt Tyrer says: ‘The combined MMRV vaccine is proven to be safe and effective, having been used for decades and already part of the routine vaccine schedules in several countries. United States, Canada, Australia and Germany have all seen substantial decreases in cases and related hospital admissions since introducing their vaccination programmes. 

'Here in the Isle of Man, the new MMRV programme expects to protect around 1500 children a year. Look out for communication from your GP Practice on when your child’s vaccinations are due and take up the offer to help keep more children healthy and in school.’

Manx Care says GP surgeries will be contacting families to let them know when they are due their vaccinations and can book their child for their appointment, usually by letter, text message, phone call or email.