A new vaccination programme has been announced by the Department of Health which will see children under four months vaccinated against rotavirus, which currently causes around 140,000 diarrhoea cases a year in under fives and can lead to hospital stays for nearly one-in-ten of those affected in the UK.
It is estimated that the vaccine, which will be rolled out from September 2013, will halve the number of vomiting and diarrhoea cases caused by rotavirus, which could result in 70% fewer hospital stays. Rotavirus vaccines are already used to routinely vaccinate children in the US and many other countries. In the US, studies have shown that rotavirus-related hospital admissions for young children have been cut by more than two-thirds since rotavirus vaccination was introduced. The programme is expected to cost around £25 m a year but is expected to save the NHS around £20 m per year through fewer stays in hospital, fewer GP and A&E visits and fewer calls to NHS Direct.
