Chickenpox vaccination - gap between doses

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Hi, I'm hoping someone with medical knowledge comes across this post.

I'm planning to get my baby vaccinated against chickenpox privately at Boots. Boots state the second dose should be given at least 6 weeks later. However it looks like the JCVI are recommending that when the chickenpox vaccine is added to the childhood schedule, it should be given at 12 and 18 months.

Does anyone know why this is? Now I don't know whether to book for the second dose after 6-8 weeks or if there's a reason for waiting 6 months that Boots haven't specified or if there is going to be a change to the advised gap between doses for some reason.

We did ours privately over the summer via the local pharmacy with the recommended 6-8week gap.

My Daughter had at Boots 6 years ago, after her first vaccine then second 6 weeks. Also they told us she will need Booster vaccine when she 18 years

The schedule the JCVI is suggesting is more to do with the fact they are recommending using the combined MMRV vaccine rather than a standalone chickenpox one, and the MMR is already slated to be recommended at 12 & 18 months - so it's for ease of slotting into the existing schedule rather than adding extra appointments which are more likely to be missed. Not an expert but AFAIK there's no clinical/medical evidence to suggest a longer gap than the 6-8 weeks (my son had his at an 8wk gap aged 1). The JCVI recommendations are from a public health perspective so a big part is trying to give practical recommendations that are likeliest to maximise uptake rather than the absolute perfect schedule from an immunology perspective.

More details here www.gov.uk/government/publications/childhood-varicella-vaccination-programme-jcvi-advice-14-november-2023/jcvi-statement-on-a-childhood-varicella-chickenpox-vaccination-programme

Thank you! Just out of interest, is the second MMR given at 3 years 4 months at the min to make it fit nicely with the other preschool jab rather than it being optimal timing then?

Also do you know if there is likely to be the option to give just the MMR, not MMRV at 18 months (if the changes are even brought in by then), as if not it could end up that my DD has 3 chickenpox vaccines?

There's supposed to be more side effects with giving the MMRV rather than separate MMR and V injections.

That won’t matter. They recommend a booster anyway.

Great, thank you!