How to Maintain Weight -What is MMRV vaccine? Is my child eligible? – UK Health Safety Authority | uxa2.com

From January 1, 2026, MMRV vaccine will be included in the routine immunization schedule for children in the UK. When your child gets this vaccine depends on their date of birth.

The MMRV vaccine helps protect children against measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (chickenpox). As part of the programme, children receive 2 doses of the vaccine at 12 months and 18 months of age. Older children born on or after January 1, 2020 will receive 1 or 2 doses of MMRV.

The MMRV vaccine has been used safely for more than a decade and is part of routine childhood vaccination programs in several countries, including Canada, Australia, and Germany.

This guide will help you know when your child should get the MMRV vaccine (if they are eligible).

Why does my child need to be protected against chickenpox and measles, mumps, and rubella?

Chickenpox is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus. It is common in young children and causes fever and an itchy, blotchy rash. These spots can be painful and appear all over the body. Most children who get chickenpox have a mild illness and recover in about a week. Some children may have more severe illness that requires hospitalization. In rare cases, children may develop serious complications, including chest infections, seizures, and encephalitis (inflammation of the brain).

Measles is caused by a virus that spreads easily. Symptoms include high fever, rash, red and sore eyes, cough and runny nose. Children may be out of school for 10 days, and one in five people with measles will be sent to hospital. Complications include chest infection, seizures, encephalitis (infection of the brain) and brain damage. The situation is more serious for infants under one year old, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems. About one in 5,000 people with measles may die from complications.

Mumps is caused by a virus. Symptoms include fever, headache, and painful, swollen glands in the face, neck, and jaw. Complications of mumps include hearing loss, meningitis, encephalitis, and painful swelling of the testicles and ovaries.

Rubella is caused by a virus. In children, symptoms are usually mild and may cause a rash, swollen glands and a sore throat. If a pregnant woman gets rubella, it can affect her unborn baby, causing serious damage to their vision, hearing, heart and brain.

MMRV is a simple way to protect your child from measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox.

When does your child get the MMRV vaccine:

If your child is born on or after January 1, 2025, they will receive:

• They received their first dose of MMRV at 12 months of age
• At 18 months of age, they received a second dose of MMRV

If your child was born between 1 July 2024 and 31 December 2024, they should have had one dose of MMR at 12 months of age and will then be given:

• They received their first dose of MMRV at 18 months of age
• Second dose of MMRV at 3 years and 4 months

These children will receive 3 doses of vaccine to protect against measles, mumps and rubella. There is no need to worry about this extra dose, it allows children in this age group to receive 2 doses of vaccine against chickenpox, helping to ensure they are well protected

If your child was born between 1 September 2022 and 30 June 2024, they should have had 1 dose of MMR at 12 months of age and will then be given:

• One dose of MMRV (not the second dose of MMR) at 3 years and 4 months

The children will receive a dose of the vaccine against chickenpox, which provides good protection against severe disease.

Are there any tutoring programs for older children?

Children born between January 1, 2020, and August 31, 2022, who have not had chickenpox or been vaccinated against chickenpox, will receive a catch-up dose of MMRV vaccine. The program will be available from November 2026 to March 2028.

You don’t need to worry about checking your child’s medical history. When we contact you about the catch-up plan, you can tell the health team if your child has had chickenpox or has had 2 doses of the chickenpox (chickenpox) vaccine. There are no safety concerns if children receive MMRV vaccine after receiving chickenpox or other chickenpox vaccines. If you can’t remember if your child has had chickenpox, or you’re not sure, it’s a good idea to get them vaccinated if they are eligible.

Children born on or before 31 December 2019 will not receive MMRV vaccine as part of the regular or catch-up programme. They should have received 2 doses of MMR vaccine at 12 months of age and 3 years and 4 months of age. Most children this age have already been infected with chickenpox. These children should still receive MMR vaccine if they have not received 2 doses of vaccine.

child’s date of birth	12 month reservation	18 month reservation	Reservation for 3 years and 4 months
Born on or after January 1, 2025	MMRV first dose	Second dose of MMRV	–
Born between July 1, 2024 and December 31, 2024	Children should have received 1 dose of MMR	MMRV first dose	Second dose of MMRV
Born between September 1, 2022 and June 30, 2024	Children should have received 1 dose of MMR	–	1 dose of MMRV

What if my child has already had chickenpox?

Even if your child has had chickenpox, there are no safety concerns with the MMRV vaccine. This will protect them from measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox.

Are there any side effects of the MMRV vaccine?

Vaccines provided by the NHS are thoroughly tested to assess their safety and effectiveness. All medicines can cause side effects, but vaccines are the safest. Common side effects usually don’t last long and are mild, such as arm soreness, fever, and rash. Side effects are less common after the second dose than after the first dose.

If you have any questions or concerns about side effects, please talk to your doctor, nurse practitioner or health visitor.

When will my child get the MMRV vaccine?

Your GP surgery will usually contact you when your child needs routine vaccines such as MMRV. This can be done by letter, text message, phone call or email.

If you know your child needs a vaccine but we haven’t contacted you yet, please contact your GP surgery to make an appointment.

Does the chickenpox vaccine protect you for life?

MMRV is a simple way to protect your child from measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox. Since the introduction of the MMR vaccine in 1988, cases of measles, mumps and rubella have fallen to very low levels. MMRV provides the same protection as MMR but with added protection against chickenpox. Countries where children have been vaccinated against chickenpox have also seen significant declines in chickenpox cases. Research to date shows that the protection provided by 2 doses of the vaccine does not diminish over time.

Where can I find more information?