Shingles Vaccination

The NHS offers a free vaccination to eligible individuals as a protective measure against shingles, known as the Shingles National Immunisation Programme. As of September 1st, 2023, the program expanded, allowing more individuals to receive a free shingles vaccination on the NHS. For more information on this please visit the GSK Get Shingles Ready website here.

The current vaccine for the shingles programme is called Shingrix. You will need 2 doses of Shingrix for the best protection. Your GP practice will contact you once you are eligible. You may also be able to have your Shingrix vaccines at some pharmacies.

What is Shingles?

Shingles is caused by a virus called varicella zoster. This is the same virus that causes chickenpox. When you recover from chickenpox most of this virus is destroyed. However, some of the virus survives and remains inactive in your body’s nervous system.

The virus can reactivate later in life, leading to clusters of painful, itchy, fluid-filled blisters. These blisters may burst and turn into sores, which eventually crust over and heal. This usually occurs when your immune system is weakened by factors such as:

• Age
• Stress
• Illness
• Certain treatments that lower immunity

Shingles can be very painful and is more common among older people. The older you are, the worse it can be. For some, the pain caused by shingles can last for many years.

People who have a severely weakened immune system are also at higher risk of getting shingles and experiencing further complications from shingles. The vaccine helps to protect you by building up your immunity. Shingles can really affect your life, stopping you from doing all the things you usually enjoy.

Getting the vaccine will:

• reduce your risk of developing shingles by over 70%
• reduce your risk of experiencing long-term pain from shingles
• reduce your risk of having to go to hospital with complications from shingles

Shingles Symptoms

The initial signs of shingles may include a general feeling of unwellness, along with a tingling or burning sensation in a specific area of skin on one side of the body. A painful rash with fluid-filled blisters typically develops a few days after these initial symptoms. If shingles develops in the eye and eyelid, it can lead to decreased vision or even permanent blindness in that eye.

How shingles spreads

Shingles is not as easily spread as chickenpox or other viruses; however, the fluid in the blisters contains the chickenpox virus. This means that someone who is not immune to chickenpox can contract the infection if they come into contact with this fluid.

If you have a shingles rash you should cover the rash with loose clothing to reduce the risk of spreading chickenpox. Pregnant women who have not had chickenpox, people with a weakened immune system and newborn babies should avoid direct contact with the rash.

Who will get the shingles vaccine

From 1 September 2023, the vaccine programme is being offered to the following:

• healthy people aged 70 to 79 years who have not yet been vaccinated
• people aged 50 years and over with a severely weakened immune system
• healthy people aged 60 to 70 years will become eligible for the vaccine over the next 5 years, when they turn 65 or 70 years

Please take a look at the below chart to track your eligibility based on age.

You will remain eligible for the shingles vaccine until your 80th birthday, unless you have a weakened immune system; people with a severely weakened immune system remain eligible for vaccine and will be offered the vaccination early from 50 years of age and is available up to any age.

The sooner you have the vaccine, the earlier you will be protected. If you are eligible and have not already been contacted by your GP practice, contact us now to make your appointment.

For more information about shingles and the vaccination please check out the following websites:

• NHS UK
• Gov.UK

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Aged 70-79 years?
Everyone aged between 70 and 79 years is eligible for the shingles vaccine up to 79 years of age
If you are 65 on or after 1st September 2023 you are also eligible for your shingles vaccine.
If you have a severely weakened immune system you will be eligible for the shingles vaccine fro 50 years of age.
Protect yourself from the pain of shingles - speak to your GP surgery about having your vaccine today.