All children in Wales are to be offered a free chickenpox vaccine from January.

The Welsh Government has announced that a two-dose programme will be offered to children as young as 12 months old.

Health Secretary, Jeremy Miles, said: "Most cases in children are relatively mild and the illness resolves without any need for treatment.

"However, some children can develop complications, such as bacterial infection or skin lesions, including group A streptococcus, and in rare cases, encephalitis, pneumonitis and stroke. These complications can result in hospitalisation and, on rare occasions, death.

"The introduction of the varicella programme will align with the planned childhood immunisation schedule changes in January, which is when the new 18-month varicella vaccination appointment will be introduced.”