Shingle Vaccines
What is shingles?
Shingles (herpes zoster) is a viral infection caused by varicella-zoster virus – the same virus that causes chickenpox. The virus remains dormant in the body and can become reactivated later in life as shingles, especially when the immune system weakens or you get run down with another illness.
Shingles typically cause a painful rash that appears as a strip of blisters on one side of the body e.g. neck, face, torso.
Common symptoms include:
Burning, tingling or itching sensations before rash appear
Fluid-filled blisters that crust over
Fever, headache, chills and fatigue’
Sensitive to light and touch
Long term nerve pain, which can persist for years after the rash heals.
What is the benefit of the shingles vaccine (Shingrix)?
Shingrix is a highly effective vaccine. It lasts for approximately 10 years and is 90% effective in preventing shingles
Two thirds of patients are also less likely to experience nerve pain if they do get shingles.
The shingles vaccine comes with two doses and is FREE for:
People at the age of 65 (first dose must be given at exactly 65 years old for second dose to be funded)
People aged 18 years and above with certain medical conditions (please ask our friendly staff for more detail)
