Jersey to follow UK in introducing free chickenpox vaccine for children

JERSEY will follow the UK’s recent decision to introduce a free chickenpox vaccine for young children next year.

Jersey’s public health director Peter Bradley said that the varicella vaccination will be introduced as part of the routine childhood immunisation schedule from January 2026.

“Eligible children will receive the combined MMRV vaccine – protecting against measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox – from their GP,” he said.

The government does not have data about how many varicella vaccine doses have been administered in the Island previously as the vaccine has so far only been available privately.