Do the NHS vaccinated against chicken pox now?

[Devilsmommy]

So I just received a letter in the post about the immunisations my 3.5 year old is scheduled for. On the list was diphtheria, pertussis, MMR and then at the end chicken pox. So does that mean they're finally giving the jabs for chicken pox that you usually have to privately pay for? My little one hasn't had it yet and I've seriously been thinking about getting it privately if I can save the money, as they aren't cheap. So is it normally immunised for on the NHS or is it a new thing?

Vaccinate not vaccinated 🙄

Chicken pox was added to the UK schedule in Jan this year.
https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/mmrv-vaccine/

Yes -it was added to the schedule in January 26. Will be given at 12 and 18 months I think. They are doing a catch up for children up to about 5 so I suspect that will be what your child is being offered.

Yes it was only added to the immunisations schedule in January this year

Luckily with this timing you won’t have to pay for it privately

As I understand it’s been debated for many years now- many other countries already have CP on the schedule however the UK were v slow to get it added

We vaccinated both DC privately for CP prior to starting primary school and luckily both have managed to avoid it, at times almost half the class would be off with CP! 🫣

If your 3.5 year old is due to have the pre-school booster vaccines it will include the MMRV which is MMR plus chicken pox.

They’ll only get one dose though.

Now I know with having it privately it was in 2 doses so does that mean I'd need to possibly get him a dose privately?

Thanks so much @TurquoiseDress @RocketLollyPolly @Greetingscard @7238SM . I hadn't heard that it was finally being put on our schedules. It's about time too. Why let children go through it if they don't have to. I've still got small facial scars from when I had it as a child and scratched them off😬

Wish i’d have known the catch up was coming. It hasn’t been very well publicised.

Vaccinated my 3 year old privately recently 😕

Your 3.5 year old will only get one dose so if you would like them to have a second dose, you can book it privately - it will be a bit cheaper at least.

One dose offers some protection but 2 doses offers better protection. I think they've done it this way to avoid calling people in for extra jabs as it just replaces the MMR booster they would have had anyway.

Oh that's so crap. They really haven't publicised it well at all which is why I was confused about it being on the list of illnesses they were vaccinating for

See, my three year old just had his and the nurse said he will be called back again to get the second one. I said that means he will be getting 3 doses of the MMR part? And she said yes and that it was fine.

He’s already had actual chicken pox before he was 1. I won’t go for the next injection as don’t want him having a needless extra dose of the MMR part.

So they do give 2 doses then. Mine hasn't had chickenpox yet so I'd rather he got the two rather than just one. Thanks for letting me know that 😊