The Shingles Vaccine: What You Need To Know
Getting vaccinated against shingles is an effective way to prevent serious illness caused by the shingles virus. Here are the facts around the vaccine.
Shingles is a condition that affects one in three people at some point in their life. The risk of shingles increases with age especially for those aged over 60. If you’re immunocompromised, you’re also more at risk. Thankfully, there is a vaccine that can reduce your chances of developing shingles.
What is shingles?
Shingles is a condition caused by the varicella zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. If you’ve had chickenpox in the past, you can still get shingles, because the chickenpox virus stays in the nerve cells. Shingles occur when it becomes active again.
Shingles causes a painful and blistering rash, says nib Group Medical Advisor Dr Hamish Black. The rash usually appears on one side of the body, but can be on any area, including the face, chest, back, stomach or pelvis. “It can also cause a low-grade fever and lethargy,” he adds.
While some people have mild symptoms and recover quickly, one in 10 people can experience pain and tingling of shingles for months or years. Others may need to be hospitalised, and in worst cases, shingles can lead to death.