ADDING a chickenpox jab to the NHS childhood vaccination schedule will end risky pox parties, experts have said.
Three-quarters of parents would support routine immunisation of children, they found.
Helen Bedford, professor of children’s health at University College London, said: “Chickenpox vaccine has been used for many years around the world and has a good safety record.”
“Deliberately exposing children to the disease at chickenpox parties is not recommended because some may have a severe attack of the infection.”
Chickenpox is caused by a virus known as varicella zoster.
In most cases symptoms are mild, with spots, high temperature and headaches.
But occasionally there are severe side effects, such as bacterial infections, pneumonia and swelling in the brain.
Children who have recently had chickenpox are also more likely to develop serious forms of Group A Strep infection.
Several countries such as the US, Japan, Australia, Canada include chickenpox vaccine in their routine childhood vaccination programmes.
In the UK it is not part of NHS childhood immunisations but is available to those who demonstrate a clinical need - such as healthy people not immune to chickenpox who are in close contact with someone with a weakened immune system.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is considering whether to recommend adding chickenpox vaccination to the schedule.
