Written question asked by Andrew Snowden (Conservative) on Friday, 29 August 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 2 September 2025. It was answered by Ashley Dalton (Labour) on Friday, 5 September 2025 on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care.
Chickenpox: Vaccination
- Question
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To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to fund specific communications campaigns in (a) Lancashire and the (b) North West to (i) raise awareness of the chickenpox vaccine and (ii) address misinformation.
- Answer
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On 29 August 2025, the Government announced plans to introduce chickenpox vaccination into the routine childhood immunisation schedule from 1 January 2026, using the MMRV vaccine which protects against measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox (varicella).
The launch of the chickenpox vaccination programme in January 2026 will see a press campaign with the UK Health Security Agency and NHS England working together to inform and educate through the use of low and no cost communications. This will continue throughout the year with key bursts of activity on all childhood vaccines. The last national childhood vaccination campaign was elevated in the North West area, with outdoor advertising up weighted in funding and exposure in the North West’s lowest uptake areas.
The Department of Health and Social Care will also launch a national childhood vaccination paid marketing campaign in February 2026 to encourage uptake of all childhood vaccinations for those age 0-5 years and will include high impact advertising across video on demand, online video, radio, out of home posters and social media. This will be supported by partnerships across a range of sectors including retailers, nursery providers and charities. Activity will be upweighted to key low uptake communities and geographical areas across the country.
Ahead of the launch, NHS England is hosting vaccine confidence sessions for health care workers to help them have vaccine conversations and address questions or concerns with parents and carers.
Communications toolkits and assets will be issued to primary care teams across all regions to support the launch of the MMRV programme, which includes material for parents and carers on the new vaccination programme.
Secondary information
- Type
- Written question
- Reference
- 73639
- Session
- 2024-26
- Related items
- Subjects
- Health education Vaccination North West Chickenpox
- Link
- View this Written question on www.parliament.uk
Librarians' tools
- Timestamp
- 2026-04-09 09:13:47 +0100
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