Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to make the NHS chickenpox vaccination available to all children.
The Government is considering the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s recommendation, published in November 2023, to introduce a varicella, also known as chickenpox, programme into the immunisation schedule for children.
It is important that any proposed change to the childhood immunisation schedule is comprehensively assessed to maintain the high standards of the United Kingdom’s world-leading vaccination programmes and ensure the best value for money for taxpayers.
The Government will make a final decision about whether to introduce a chickenpox programme, including the eligibility and timing of any potential programme, when this work has concluded.