A mother who lost her young daughter to chickenpox has welcomed the NHS plan to introduce a free vaccine for all children in the UK from early next year.

Angie Bunce-Mason’s daughter, Elana, was just three years old when she caught the illness in 2009. What began as a common childhood infection quickly turned serious. Within six days, Elana’s condition worsened as the virus spread to her lungs. Despite being admitted to Basildon Hospital, she suffered a cardiac arrest and died shortly after.

“I had no clue it could be so fatal,” Ms Bunce-Mason said. “Like many parents, I thought chickenpox was just something children go through before school. I hope this new programme helps families make the decision to protect their children.”

The government has now confirmed that from January, the chickenpox vaccine will be offered free on the NHS as part of the childhood immunisation schedule. Children will receive two doses, at 12 and 18 months, alongside the MMR jab which already protects against measles, mumps and rubella.

Key points of the announcement:

• Vaccine available for all young children from January

• Two doses at 12 and 18 months, combined with the MMR jab

• First time the jab has been offered free on the NHS

• Experts say it will save lives and prevent serious complications

Until now, parents who wanted the vaccine had to pay privately. The varicella virus, which causes chickenpox, is often dismissed as mild but can lead to severe complications, especially in young children.

Dr Sarah Pitt, a microbiologist at the University of Brighton, called the decision “a very good thing,” stressing that many people underestimate how serious the illness can be. “The vaccine will save lives and prevent suffering in children, which is always positive,” she said.

For Ms Bunce-Mason, who has campaigned for 16 years to raise awareness of the dangers of chickenpox, the announcement feels like a turning point. “It’s the best news I could have hoped for. I just want other children to be spared what happened to my daughter.”