As of January 2026, eligible children will be offered a combined vaccine for measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (the clinical term for chickenpox) as part of the routine infant vaccination schedule.

Health Minister, Mike Nesbitt, said NI is following in the footsteps of many other countries which offer the vaccine.

“We are empowering parents to safeguard their children against chickenpox and its potentially serious complications with a vaccine, which has been proven safe and effective in other countries across the world,” he said.

"This vaccine prioritises children's wellbeing and will reduce school and nursery absences, while supporting parents by minimising the need for take time off work to care for sick children."

The rollout of the MMRV vaccine is based on expert scientific adv

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