Shingles Vaccine

What is Shingles?

Shingles (Herpes Zoster) is a painful viral infection caused by the reactivation of the Varicella-Zoster virus — the same virus that causes chickenpox. After a chickenpox infection, the virus lies dormant in the nervous system and can reactivate years or decades later as shingles, particularly when the immune system is weakened by age, stress or illness.

Shingles causes a painful blistering rash, typically on one side of the body or face. The most common and debilitating complication is postherpetic neuralgia — a severe nerve pain that can persist for months or years after the rash has healed. Other complications include eye problems, hearing loss and bacterial skin infections.

Do I need this vaccine?

The shingles vaccine is recommended for adults aged 50 and over. The risk of shingles and its complications increases significantly with age. Anyone who has had chickenpox is at risk of developing shingles at some point in their life.

How many doses do I need?

The shingles vaccine used privately is Shingrix, a highly effective non-live recombinant vaccine. It is given as a course of 2 doses and provides strong protection against shingles and postherpetic neuralgia.