does anyone know why we don't vaccinate against chicken pox?

[cheapandchic]

is it purely the cost to the nhs?

I am a big fan of vaccinations, I think people who refuse to vaccinate their kids are completely irresponsible, and reduce herd immunity.

I've had the dilemma of whether to vaccinate dd as we lived in Oz for a number of years. I decided not to because their vaccine needs boosters in teenage years and I knew we would probably not be living there then. Secondly there seems to be some evidence that the virus differs between continents and the Ozzie vaccine does not protect against the European virus so in our situation it wasn't worth the risk.

The London Travel Clinic does the Varicella vaccine for £60 a dose.

I had DD's done the same afternoon as the MMR. She gets the booster in the next few months.

I grew up in the developing world - my father was a doctor there - and saw children die from measles, pertussis etc so I am extremely pro-vaccination.

DD is vaccinated on schedule against everything. In addition she has had the BCG (high risk area), typhoid and Hep A (we go to high-risk areas for my job) and the CP vaccine. She also had the H1N1.

I am 100% happy with my decisions.