To think the chicken pox vaccine should be available on the NHS

[whitecarpetsarebad]

Why isn’t it on the NHS?

[Hmmph]

One of my children had a very bad case of CP.

If I was to have any more children, I would have them vaccinated. I also advise others who have babies to get them vaccinated. It is a mild disease in most children, but when it’s not, it’s horrible.

And I do think it should be a routine NHS vaccine. After all, most cases of all diseases we vaccinate against are mild. For example, we vaccinate children against flu to protect the elderly and to save time off school. It would save money in the economy because parents wouldn’t need to have take time off work and would save money for all those children who do need treatment on NHS.

And we have a shingles vaccine.

[BraveBraveMouse]

Agreed. Every other developed country has it on the vaccination schedule for children. The reason we don't here is cost, the shingles argument is bollocks.

It's not serious for most children, but a small number will develop serious complications and die. Didn't we just have several lockdowns on that basis for Covid?

I paid privately for my DC.

[GeorgiaGirl52]

My two DDs contracted chickenpox just before the vaccine was released. DD1 spent two weeks in the hospital with thrombocytopenia as a result. She nearly died and has had life=long liver problems.
My DS came later and got the vaccination. It is now on the required list for children in the United States to enter school.
PS - There is a vaccine against shingles available and offered to everyone 55 and over.

[StrawberryLipstickStateOfMind]

My knowledge on this stuff is crap- if we vaccinated children against chicken pox, would it be better to vaccinate adults against shingles from younger than 55?

Sorry if that's a stupid question!

[phoenixrosehere]

Let’s just say that most other first world Countries vaccinate kids against chickenpox.

True. I was immunised as a kid and made sure my own were too. There was a massive waiting list when my oldest was done due to a shortage here and a high demand and then once my youngest was old enough, he was immunised too. There’s also a vaccine for shingles here. My immunity was tested when I was pregnant with my second and it was still there for chickenpox. I had them check due to my niece and nephews catching it and we had cancelled our trip so I wouldn’t nor did our son be exposed . Chicken pox can be dangerous for pregnant women and those with compromised immune systems, not just children. My own husband caught it in his teens and was out of school for three weeks.

Oh and funny how we could “afford” to pay billions to Tory cronies for contracts they didn’t even deliver on, but we can’t apparently afford a simple childhood vaccine

Right. I wonder if they factor in the cost to working parents who usually have to stay home with a sick child for two weeks to take care of them. Would some working parents really take the chance to send said child to an older relative if they’ve never been vaccinated for either chickenpox or shingles?

Plus if kids were vaccinated against cp, the rates of shingles in the older adult population would go up and that would have a massive cost impact and be very detrimental.

This hasn’t been found to be the case in countries who have vaccinated for decades though.

[DennisTMenace]

My first child to get it wasn't too bad, but did end up with spots in mouth, throat, tongue and lips, so that was unpleasant. A couple of weeks later the next one got it and thanks to viral load had a much worse time of it. Didn't end up in hospital, but suffered a lot and still has scars. I really hated the cruelty of a government that could have easily prevented all of that.

[Glitterandglow]

My DC had the chicken pox vaccination as that was part of the vaccine schedule in the country we lived in. I remember the doctor saying you just don’t know how your child’s going to react to chickenpox they highly recommended getting the vaccine. I would pay for it privately if I had another child.

[DrinkFeckArseBrick]

I'm sure I read recently that they are now considering it.

[Hm2020]

My ds received it on the nhs due to having a primary immunodeficiency.

[Clawdine]

I feel strongly it should be a childhood vaccine. Several reasons..

I did not have CP as a child. When my DD1 was born an adult on the ward had CP. After we were discharged a nurse has to come to my house to inject CP immunoglobulin into DDs tiny little legs. She screamed and screamed and developed colic thereafter. It was horrible. How much did that cost the NHS.

DD caught CP aged 1. I caught it from her and was off sick from work for 4 weeks. I was crying and in agony from the spots on my head (I had long hair). That is not cost effective either.

DD1 also had shingles as an 8 year old.

A bloke I was at school with died in his late teens from complications with CP.

I think all those events would suggest it is more humane and also cost effective to offer the vaccine in childhood.

[aiwblam]

Because money.

[ittakes2]

Its recommended by WHO and both Australia and the US include it - I believe its a cost saving exercise for the UK.
If you are ever in Australia you are allowed to get it free for your kids because Australia and the UK have reciprocal medical rights. You just need to show up to a vaccination centre. My children have both passports so I organised it for them but when I got there the clinic would have been OK if they had only had a UK passport.

[BiscoffAddict]

If it’s not worth it why does most of the Western World have it as part of their childhood vaccination programme?

The shingles argument is a non starter and an excuse IMO.

[BiscoffAddict]

Shingles, whilst unpleasant, isn’t life threatening.

[olivesnutsandcheeseplease]

I paid £120 for my DC to have the vaccine. Money very well spent.

As parents we all have different priorities when it comes to our children. I just put this higher up our list, than say a day out at the zoo or a takeaway every week for a month or whatever.

The NHS does the same. You can argue it but I doubt it will change. Meanwhile if you can, book a vaccine.

[Donitta]

Basically infected children wandering around with CP act as a free booster for adults. The adults are exposed to CP and thus produce antibodies which prevent them getting shingles. If the NHS vaccinated children, adults wouldn’t be getting this free booster and more of them would get shingles. Then the NHS would have to treat the shingles and provide shingles vaccines, all at great expense.

I paid privately for my DC because I don’t see why they should suffer just for random adults to benefit from boosted immunity. My main concern was preventing scarring because DH has facial scarring from CP and I don’t want that to happen to my beautiful DC.

[Bringminimoons]

It can be funded on the NHS ( my DD had it ) but it’s only funded for those who they agree to fund it for health reasons. Complications of CP are thankfully rarely life threatening in children so it’s not cost effective

[DappledThings]

I'm happy to follow the schedule determined by the JCVI. Should that change and chicken pox suddenly became recommended at an age when my children were eligible I would take them to get it.

I'm happy to accept that the clearly more intelligent people than me at the JCVI are the ones to decide and to accept their decision.

[Thatisnotwhatisaid]

It’s mild and harmless for the vast majority of children who catch it so it doesn’t make financial sense to. My DC felt fine and had no more than 5 spots, I was the same as a child. I know some people throw chicken pox parties to intentionally give their child chicken pox because it’s so much milder in young children so better to get it young.

[DixonD]

@EmeraldShamrock

It isn't a deadly virus most DC get over it without issue.
It should be on offer for vulnerable patients.
I have never had them nor have my DC, I've been around it, probably luck.

Chicken pox can be deadly.

I vaccinated my child because one of my siblings nearly died. Ended up in a wheelchair from chicken pox.

[TwoAndAnOnion]

For example, we vaccinate children against flu to protect the elderly and to save time off school.

From the NHS site: The free NHS flu programme is for people aged 65 and over, pregnant women, people with certain conditions such as kidney disease, asthma or heart disease and carers or those in care homes. Frontline health and social care workers are eligible to receive the vaccine.

[Hardbackwriter]

I paid for it, and the NHS explanation of why they don't offer it did nothing to convince me I shouldn't - I don't want my children to get an illness that is often unpleasant, always means significant time off work for parents and which can rarely lead to serious complications or even death so that random adults are less at risk of shingles (and if that's the case why do you keep children with chickenpox home - surely they should be spreading this 'service' far and wide?).

Incidentally all the things people are saying here about how it's a normal part of childhood and the vast majority of children are absolutely fine is exactly what people used to say, and anti-vaxers still say, about measles and mumps.

[idontlikealdi]

I don't think it should be on the NHS but I think it should be publicised better that you can pay for it privately. But then that sits uncomfortably with me too creating two tiered children's health.

Dts had it incredibly badly, to the point where one was admitted with queried sepsis. It wasn't fortunately.

This was ten years ago and I'm very aware but I had no idea I could have paid to get them vaccinated. Maybe the messaging is more out there now.

[MissMooMoo]

@TwoAndAnOnion, also from the NHS website
"The nasal spray flu vaccine is free on the NHS for:

children aged 2 or 3 years on 31 August 2020 – born between 1 September 2016 and 31 August 2018
all primary school children (reception to year 6)
all year 7 in secondary school
children aged 2 to 17 years with long-term health conditions"


I had both my children vaccinated fro the chickenpox privately. It is part of the vaccine schedule in most 1st World countries, I think it's only a matter of time before its covered on the NHS as part of the routine vaccination schedule.

[looptheloopinahulahoop]

The NHS is planning to add it to the schedule, as it happens.

Anyway, in the meantime, if people want it, they can get it privately. Very few kids have CP badly. Men B on the other hand...but there is no catch-up programme for that.