Does a Free Vaccination Program Really Reduce Chickenpox Cases in Children?
Chickenpox affects millions of children worldwide each year and can lead to serious complications such as bacterial infections or damage to the nervous system. In China, where more than 12 million cases are recorded annually, the disease poses a major public health challenge. In response, the city of Shenzhen launched a free chickenpox vaccination program for school-aged children in 2019. The program offers two doses of the vaccine: the first at 12 months and the second at 4 years old, to enhance protection.
The results of this initiative are significant. Thanks to the program, the number of chickenpox cases decreased by nearly 23% among eligible children compared to those who were not. Additionally, vaccination coverage improved substantially: the first dose saw a 35% increase in uptake, while the second dose experienced a spectacular rise of 98%. These figures show that removing financial barriers played a key role in improving children’s protection.
The effectiveness of the two-dose schedule has also been demonstrated. Children who received two doses of the vaccine had a 75% lower risk of contracting chickenpox compared to those who received only one dose. This difference is explained by the fact that the second dose boosts the immune response, providing stronger and more lasting protection.
This study confirms that free, two-dose vaccination programs are a powerful tool for reducing the spread of chickenpox. The results achieved in Shenzhen could inspire other regions, particularly in China, where chickenpox vaccination is not yet nationwide. Adopting such a strategy would not only reduce the number of cases but also protect the most vulnerable children from severe forms of the disease.
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About This Study
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40121-026-01331-6
Title: The Impact and Effectiveness of a Two-Dose Varicella Immunization Program Among School Children: Evidence from Quasi-experimental Analyses
Journal: Infectious Diseases and Therapy
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Authors: Huiqiao Gu; Xu Xie; Qiuying Lv; Yuantian Cui; Ziyan Lu; Zaure Akhmetova; Zarina Shulgau; Fang Huang; Yawen Jiang