With the Ministry of Health recording 16,695 cases of chickenpox in Jordan during the first half of 2024, Director of the Epidemiology Department Ayman Al-Maqableh announced the ministry's plan to introduce a new chickenpox vaccine by the end of 2024.

Speaking on the "Akhbar Al-Sabe'a" program on Roya, Al-Maqableh stated that the Ministry of Health has decided to introduce the chickenpox vaccine and the pneumococcal vaccine by the end of 2024.

He added that the chickenpox vaccine, when administered at the age of one, provides 87 percent protection with the first dose, while the second dose is given when the child enters school.

He emphasized that if a child contracts chickenpox after receiving the first dose of the vaccine, the symptoms are "much milder" compared to an unvaccinated person.

Regarding the pneumococcal vaccine, he mentioned that it protects against bacterial infections that cause meningitis. The vaccine has been tested on 1,000 children in Jordan.

One of the main criteria the ministry considers when introducing a new vaccine includes the prevalence of the disease, its severity, complications, and the cost of the vaccine, according to Al-Maqableh.

He noted that the Ministry of Health employs an "active surveillance" system, which involves field visits to health centers or hospitals to ensure there are no undocumented cases.

The Ministry of Health confirmed that it provides vaccines listed in the national immunization program, which covers 12 diseases, free of charge to everyone in Jordan.