Kia ora e te whānau
A bit more information about the chickenpox vaccine:
Unless you have paid to have your child vaccinated against chickenpox, it appears that the addition of the chickenpox vaccine to the register will not have provided vaccination for all but the very newest of our current school-aged children:
From the Ministry of Health Website:
The vaccine for chickenpox was added to the National Immunisation Schedule on 1 July 2017.
Immunisation
One dose of chickenpox vaccine is free for children aged 15 months. It is also free for children turning 11 years of age who have never been infected with or previously immunised against chickenpox.
BirthDate / Eligibility
From 1 April 2016 onwards
All children are eligible for one free dose when they turn 15 months of age.
From 1 July 2006 to 31 March 2016
Those who haven't been infected or previously immunised against chickenpox are eligible for one free dose when they turn 11 years of age.
Those with medical conditions that put them at high risk of chickenpox, such as patients before organ transplant or after chemotherapy, are eligible for two free doses of chickenpox vaccine, regardless of age.
For everyone else, chickenpox immunisation is available in New Zealand at a cost. Talk to your doctor if you’d like the chickenpox vaccination for you or your child.