A mass vaccination of children in England against chickenpox is being considered by The Department of Health after a recommendation from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The MMR could be combined with a chickenpox vaccine to make a new four-in-one jab.Some critics are said to be concerned that children face a risk of being "over-vaccinated". At the moment children are supposed to have 13 vaccinations against various diseases from the time they are a baby up to the age of 18. They are vaccinated against eight diseases before their second birthday.
Although there has been a vaccine against chickenpox available and licensed since 2002, it has never been part of routine childhood vaccinations although it is routine in the US. Chickenpox is a highly contagious virus and although its effects are generally mild in children, it can be more serious for adults and can even be fatal. About 20 adults die every year from chickenpox.
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A Department of Health spokesman commented: "The JCVI requested that we set up a sub-group to look into the issues of vaccinating against chickenpox. This work is at a very early stage. The JCVI considers a wide variety of issues around vaccination and immunisation. Any recommendation to make a change to the programme is only put forward after a lengthy and thorough consideration of all the evidence."
The virus which causes chickenpox - varicella zoster - also causes shingles - a painful rash which usually strikes in later life.
September 2007
CHICKENPOX SYMPTOMS mild fever and headaches to start
red spots then appear which develop itchy fluid-filled central blisters
after a couple of days these scab over and dry up
rarely there can be associated bacterial infection which can lead to potentially fatal conditions, such as toxic shock syndrome
other complications can include pneumonia, encephalitis and inflammation of the blood vessels
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