Ask the doctors Show Q. I've had the Zostavax vaccine to prevent shingles, but now I've heard there is a new vaccine that is supposed to be more effective. Should I get the new vaccine? And can I get it, since I already had the Zostavax shot? A. You heard correctly. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now recommends that healthy adults over age 50 get two doses of a new vaccine called Shingrix, which was approved by the FDA in October 2017. Doses are given two to six months apart. Shingrix is said to be more than 90% effective against shingles and postherpetic neuralgia — a painful nerve condition that can arise as a shingles complication. This new vaccine is much more effective than Zostavax, which had been used in the past. It reduced the risk of shingles by only 51%. Research has also shown that Zostavax loses its ability to prevent shingles after five years. Zostavax is no longer available in the United States. If you've ever had chickenpox, you are at risk for shingles, which is essentially a re-emergence of the virus that caused your chickenpox. The CDC says you should get vaccinated with Shingrix even if you aren't sure you've had chickenpox and if you've already had shingles. Although it's uncommon, you can get shingles more than once. In addition, you should get the Shingrix vaccine even if you already got the Zostavax vaccine. While some people can have a very sore arm, fatigue and low-grade fever after the vaccine, most people who get Shingrix experience only mild side effects. — by Hope Ricciotti, M.D., and Hye-Chun Hur, M.D., M.P.H. Image: © Highwaystarz-Photography | GettyImages You get shingles when the virus that may have given you chickenpox when you were young becomes active again. Doctors don’t know why this happens. When the virus wakes up, it causes itching and tingling feelings in your skin that can last up to 5 days. Then blisters appear on your body or face, often in a strip on one side of your body. You also may have a fever, an upset stomach, headaches, and chills. The rashes tend to go away within a
month, but shingles can lead to long-term nerve damage and pain, especially in people over 50 or are immunocompromised. About 1 in 3 people in the US will get shingles in their lifetime, or about 1 million people a year. It can happen at any age, but you’re more likely to have it as you get older. That’s why doctors recommend a shingles vaccine for most people over 50. There is currently one
vaccine available in the U.S. to prevent shingles. Shingrix (RZV) was approved in 2017 and it is more than 90% effective in preventing shingles. With Shingrix, you get two shots between 2 and 6 months apart and protection lasts an estimated 4-5 years. Doctors recommend it for healthy people over 50 as well as those 19 years of age and older who are or will be immunodeficient or immunosuppressed
due to disease or therapy.. An earlier vaccine called Zostavax was removed from the market in 2020. That vaccine used a weak form of the chickenpox virus to send your body’s immune system into action to fight the disease. Shingrix does not. If you received the Zostavax vaccine, it is recommended that you also receive Shingrix. Should I get a vaccine?Doctors say most healthy people over 50 should get Shingrix, as well as anyone 19 or older who are immunocompromised. It’s available at pharmacies as well as doctors’ offices. Most people have been exposed to the chickenpox even if they didn’t actually develop symptoms. You should get the Shingrix vaccine unless:
Shingrix can make the area where you get the shot swell or feel sore. Other effects include: Younger people are more likely to have these side effects, and they typically last 2 or 3 days. It’s also possible to have an allergic reaction to an ingredient in the vaccine. If you have problems breathing, feel your face or throat swelling, or feel weak or dizzy after the shot, call 911 and get medical help right away. Can I get a shingles vaccine if I’m younger than 50?Yes. While Shingrix is approved generally for people 50 and older, the FDA has also approved its use for those aged 19 years and older who are or will be at increased risk of shingles due to immunodeficiency or immunosuppression caused by known disease or therapy. Will Medicare or my health insurance pay for a shingles vaccine?Medicare Part D covers the cost of a shingles vaccine. If you have private health insurance, check your plan. Some insurers will pay for it after age 50 and others at 60. Are you less likely to get shingles if you had chickenpox vaccine?Question: If I had the chickenpox (varicella) vaccine, can I still get shingles later in life? Answer: Yes, it is possible for people who had chickenpox vaccination to get shingles later in life because the same virus that causes chickenpox disease (the varicella-zoster virus) causes shingles.
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Should you get the shingles vaccine if you had chickenpox
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