Vaccination against shingles for adults

Shingles – you don't want to get it. Get vaccinated!

Shingles is not just an itchy rash. It also causes severe pain that sometimes lasts for many months or even years. It can cause scarring or discolouration of the skin, decreased visual acuity or loss of vision, facial nerve palsy, hearing impairment, meningitis, decreased quality of life, insomnia and depression.

These are complications that may occur if you contract shingles - a serious disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV). Therefore, it is worth protecting yourself against shingles.

Get vaccinated against shingles. Reduce the risk of illness, avoid pain and complications.

The new vaccine provides immunity for up to 10 years.

Who is this vaccination for? Check if you are in the risk group.

You are in the risk group if:

• you have had chickenpox,

• you are 50 years old or older, even if you are healthy (the body's immunity decreases with age),

• you are 18 years of age or older and:

  • you have reduced immunity caused by diseases such as: diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiovascular diseases, inflammatory bowel diseases, chronic kidney disease, bronchial asthma, osteoporosis, obesity, or depression,

  • you suffer from cancer, autoimmune disease (e.g. Hashimoto), acquired immunodeficiency disease (HIV),

  • you have undergone an organ transplant and are undergoing immunosuppressive treatment or chemotherapy and radiotherapy,

  • you suffer from severe or chronic stress and fatigue,

  • you often catch acute infections, you have contracted COVID-19.

Unfortunately, getting shingles does not protect you from contracting the disease again.

The most effective method of protection against shingles and its complications is vaccination.

Get vaccinated against shingles The vaccine used is a new product, long awaited in Poland, which has been used in the USA and Australia for years. The full vaccination includes 2 doses. After taking them, immunity to the disease lasts up to 10 years.

What is shingles, how does it occur and why can it be dangerous?

Shingles is a contagious disease caused by the varicella zoster virus. In a person who has had chickenpox, this virus remains in the nerve ganglia in an inactive form and is activated when the immune system weakens, as well as with age. This may happen even after many years. Shingles is contagious, although it is less infectious than chickenpox. If a person has not had chickenpox and becomes infected with this virus, they will develop chickenpox, not shingles.

The most common symptoms of shingles are: vesicular rash on one side of the body (torso, and less often - face, arm or leg), local pain of a burning, stabbing, pulsating nature, often triggered by touch, burning, itching.

How does the disease unfold?

First (in about 80% of patients) there are warning symptoms - low-grade fever, headache, pain, tingling and itching of the skin in a specific place.

After 3-4 days of prodromal symptoms, skin changes appear: initially erythema, and after 12-24 hours clusters of papules transforming into blisters filled with serous fluid. The blisters may coalesce, burst and create painful erosions.

After about 7-10 days, scabs form.

The rash usually goes away within 2-4 weeks.

Shingles may lead to serious complications.

The most common of them is postherpetic neuralgia (the risk of its development increases with age), i.e. severe, chronic pain that may last for months or even years. It occurs in up to 30% of patients and leads to a significant reduction in the quality of life and chronic suffering, and its treatment is long-term.

Shingles can also cause:

• itching, scars, discolouration of the skin, bacterial superinfection of skin eruptions,

• deterioration of visual acuity or loss of vision,

• facial nerve palsy,

• hearing impairment (unilateral hearing loss),

• meningitis,

• insomnia and depression.

Who can and should get vaccinated against shingles?

Vaccination is recommended for all people over 50 years of age and younger adults (≥ 18 years of age) who have risk factors for developing this disease.

The vaccine was developed to prevent shingles in people who have been exposed to the virus that causes chickenpox and have already developed antibodies against it. After vaccination, the body will be able to produce antibodies more quickly if the virus becomes active.

The benefits of vaccination

• Effective prevention of shingles and postherpetic neuralgia.

• Effective protection against the pain that accompanies the disease.

• Avoiding the risk of complications.

What does the service include?

• 1 shingles vaccine

• 1 vaccine administration

What is the vaccine administration schedule?

The primary vaccination schedule consists of two doses: an initial dose and a second dose given 2 months later. If a flexible vaccination schedule is necessary, the second dose may be administered 2 to 6 months after the first dose.

NOTE: The package does not include a vaccination qualifying visit. It must be purchased separately. A qualifying visit is required before each dose of vaccine is administered.

The vaccine is very effective. In people aged ≥50 years, it reduces the risk of shingles (by >90%) and also reduces the risk of postherpetic neuralgia (by 91.2%). In people who develop shingles despite vaccination, it shortens the duration of pain and reduces the use of painkillers.