A CHICKENPOX vaccine was rolled out across the NHS for the first time today.

Health experts welcomed the “hugely positive moment” as youngsters were offered the vaccine alongside the MMR, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella.

The rollout across the four British nations comes after the combined MMRV jab was recommended by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) in 2023.

The combined jab has been used in other countries for decades and is part of routine childhood vaccines in the US, Canada, Australia and Germany.

NHS England said that hundreds of thousands of children will be eligible for the jab and GPs will contact families to offer the MMRV vaccine as part of the routine childhood vaccination programme.

NHS England national medical director Dr Claire Fuller said: “This is a hugely positive moment for children and their families, providing protection against chickenpox for the first time and adding to the arsenal of routine vaccinations we give to children to safeguard them against serious illnesses.

“The new vaccine will also help the health service move its focus from sickness to prevention, and keep more children safe and in school.”

Chickenpox, also known as varicella, is a common infection that spreads easily among young children.

It is usually mild but can lead to serious complications and, in rare cases, can be fatal.

Around £24 million is lost in income and productivity in Britain every year as parents take time to care for their children, estimates suggest.

The vaccine is also expected to save the health service £15m a year in costs for treating the condition, NHS England said.