This new year is a good opportunity to check you and your family are up to date with important health information and support. Most children who get chickenpox will have mild symptoms, but for some it can be more serious and lead to
complications or hospitalisation.
From 1 January 2026, children will be offered protection against chickenpox as part of the NHS routine childhood vaccination programme, with the vaccine
offered from 12 months old.
There will also be a catch-up offer for some children. Children born between 1 January 2020 and 31 August 2022 will be offered a single dose of the MMRV vaccine from November 2026.
For children aged over 6 years, it is likely they may have already had chickenpox. They will remain eligible for their MMR vaccine as part of the routine programme.