Washington County Health Dept. Offering Lower Cost Shingles Vaccine To Those Who Qualify

The Washington County Health Department for a limited time, is offering an opportunity to receive the Shingles vaccine at a lower cost to individuals who qualify thru the VFC 317 vaccine program. If you are over 50 and have had the chicken pox, you are at risk for shingles. Shingrix, the most recent shingles vaccine, provides strong protection against shingles and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). PHN is the most common complication from shingles.

If you’re over 50 the CDC recommends that you get the most recent shingles vaccine (Shingrix) even if you previously received Zostavax. Call us at 573-438-2164 as soon as possible to schedule your appointment and to see if you qualify for the lower cost opportunity.

What Everyone Should Know about the Shingles Vaccine (Shingrix)

CDC recommends that adults 50 years and older get two doses of the shingles vaccine called Shingrix (recombinant zoster vaccine) to prevent shingles and the complications from the disease.

Shingrix provides strong protection against shingles and PHN. In adults 50 years and older who have healthy immune systems, Shingrix is more than 90% effective at preventing shingles and PHN. Immunity stays strong for at least the first 7 years after vaccination. In adults with weakened immune systems, studies show that Shingrix is 68%-91% effective in preventing shingles, depending on the condition that affects the immune system.

Who Should Get Shingrix?

Adults 50 years and older should get two doses of Shingrix, separated by 2 to 6 months. Adults 19 years and older who have or will have weakened immune systems because of disease or therapy should also get two doses of Shingrix. If needed, people with weakened immune systems can get the second dose 1 to 2 months after the first.

You should get Shingrix even if in the past you:

• Had shingles

• Received Zostavax*

• Received varicella (chickenpox) vaccine

There is no maximum age for getting Shingrix.

If you had shingles in the past, Shingrix can help prevent future occurrences of the disease. There is no specific length of time that you need to wait after having shingles before you can receive Shingrix, but generally you should make sure the shingles rash has gone away before getting vaccinated.

Chickenpox and shingles are related because they are caused by the same virus (varicella-zoster virus). After a person recovers from chickenpox, the virus stays dormant (inactive) in the body. It can reactivate years later and cause shingles.

• You can get Shingrix whether or not you remember having had chickenpox in the past.

• More than 99% of Americans born on or before 1980 have had chickenpox, even if they don’t remember having the disease.

If you have questions about Shingrix, talk with one of our Public Health Nurses at 573-438-2164.

Who Should Not Get Shingrix?

You should not get Shingrix if you:

• Have ever had a severe allergic reaction to any component of the vaccine or after a dose of Shingrix.

• Currently have shingles.

• Currently are pregnant. Women who are pregnant should wait to get Shingrix.

If you have a minor illness, such as a cold, you may get Shingrix. But if you have a moderate or severe illness, with or without fever, you should usually wait until you recover before getting the vaccine.

How Well Does Shingrix Work?

Two doses of Shingrix provide strong protection against shingles and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), the most common complication of shingles.

• In adults 50 to 69 years old with healthy immune systems, Shingrix was 97% effective in preventing shingles; in adults 70 years and older, Shingrix was 91% effective.

• In adults 50 years and older, Shingrix was 91% effective in preventing PHN; in adults 70 years and older, Shingrix was 89% effective.

• In adults with weakened immune systems, Shingrix was between 68% and 91% effective in preventing shingles, depending on their underlying immunocompromising condition.

In people 70 years and older who had healthy immune systems, Shingrix immunity remained high throughout 7 years following vaccination.