What age should i get a shingles shot

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.

What vaccines can help prevent shingles?

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:

  • You are allergic to any part of the vaccine
  • Had a blood test that proves you never had chicken pox (Then you should receive the chicken pox vaccine.)
  • Have shingles now
  • Are breastfeeding or nursing.

What are the side effects?

Shingrix can make the area where you get the shot swell or feel sore. Other effects include:

  • Many people who get the vaccine have muscle aches, headaches, or feel tired.
  • About 1 in 4 people have a fever or an upset stomach.

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.

Show Sources

SOURCES:

Shingles,” “Recombinant Shingles VIS,” “Shingles Vaccination,” “What Everyone Should Know about Zostavax.”

American Family Physician: “Herpes Zoster and Postherpetic Neuralgia: Prevention and Management.”

U.S. Food and Drug Administration: “Approval letter for Shingrix,” “Patient Information about Zostavax.”

The shingles vaccine is not available on the NHS to anyone aged 80 and over because it seems to be less effective in this age group.

Is there anyone who should not have the shingles vaccination?

There are 2 shingles vaccines available in the UK:

  • Zostavax, a live vaccine given as 1 dose
  • Shingrix, a non-live vaccine given as 2 doses

If Zostavax is not suitable for you, a GP or practice nurse will decide whether to offer you Shingrix instead.

You should not have the shingles vaccine if you've had a serious allergic reaction (including an anaphylactic reaction) in the past to a previous dose of the shingles vaccine, or to any of the ingredients in the vaccine, or to a previous dose of varicella (chickenpox) vaccine.

If you have a weakened immune system a GP or practice nurse will assess which vaccine is suitable for you. Discuss any health concerns with the GP or practice nurse before you have the vaccine.

Zostavax is not suitable for people who have a weakened immune system due to a condition, treatment or medicine.

The shingles vaccine and other vaccines

You can have a shingles vaccine at the same time as most other vaccines. But try to leave 7 days between the shingles vaccine and a coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine, so that if you have any side effects you'll know which vaccine they were from.

Why do you have to be 50 or older to get the shingles vaccine?

The shingles vaccine is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in people under 50 years of age because it has only been tested in adults 50 years and older. Shingles is a painful belt-like patterned rash caused by varicella-zoster virus (the same virus that causes chickenpox).

At what age should you have a shingles jab?

You're eligible for the shingles vaccine when you're aged 70 to 79. When you're eligible, you can have the shingles vaccination at any time of year. The shingles vaccine is not available on the NHS to anyone aged 80 and over because it seems to be less effective in this age group.

Can 30 year old get shingles vaccine?

CDC recommends two doses of RZV for the prevention of shingles and related complications in adults aged ≥19 years who are or will be immunodeficient or immunosuppressed because of disease or therapy.

Can I get the shingles vaccine if I'm under 50?

The routinely recommended minimum age for Shingrix among immunocompetent adults is 50 years. However, if a dose is inadvertently administered to an immunocompetent adult 18 through 49 years of age CDC does not recommend repeating the dose. The second Shingrix dose should not be administered until the 50th birthday.