Millions to get vaccine to protect against ‘fatal’ virus that lives in 90% of Brits – are you eligible?
ALMOST a million more Brits are set to become eligible for a shingles jab from September.
The vaccine is currently only offered to people over the age of 70.
But as of September 1 this year, it will be rolled out to another 900,000 people, including anyone aged 50 who is severely immunocompromised.
Two doses of the Shingrix vaccine will be offered to this group and those turning 65 and 70 will also be able to get the jab after their birthday, NHS England announced today (NHSE).
Eligible patients will be contacted by their GP about getting jabbed.
Shingles is an infection that causes a painful rash with blisters on your chest and tummy, as well as headaches and a feeling of being generally unwell.
However, some cases can result in serious symptoms such as blindness, hearing loss, nerve pain and potentially death, according to NHSE.
It can occur at any age, but you’re more likely to get a severe case of it and suffer complications as you get older – the risk of this is also higher if you have a weakened immune system.
But receiving the vaccine can significantly reduce the risk of contracting the painful infection and experiencing nasty symptoms.
And if you do get shingles after being jabbed, your symptoms will be much milder.
Shingles can’t be caught from other people – but it’s actually closed related to a common and highly contagious virus most people get as children – chickenpox.
Even if you came down with the itchy spotty rash as a tot, the virus remains in the body and can be reactivated later to cause shingles if your immune system is lowered.
This can happen as a result of stress, certain conditions, or even treatments like chemotherapy.
At least nine in 10 Brits are already infected with the virus that causes shingles, having had chickenpox as children.
And NHSE estimated that around one in four of them will go on to develop shingles in their lifetime – with their risk increasing as they age.
NHSE also plans on expanding eligibility for the shingles vaccine to those aged 60 and over by September 2028.
The change comes after the Joint Committee of Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recommended that the Shingrix vaccine should be given to a wider cohort of people, with trials showing the jab was highly effective and safe for these groups.
National director of vaccinations and screening at NHSE, Steve Russell, said: “While the country has been focused on the NHS’s successful Covid and flu vaccine programmes, there remain other preventable illnesses like Shingles which can be fatal to those most at risk.
“With a quarter of people getting Shingles in their lifetime, and with it being one of the few conditions that cannot achieve herd immunity, the expansion of the programme will provide peace of mind to hundreds of thousands and save lives.”
He asked those eligible for a jab to not put off getting one once their notified about them by their GP or should they be offered one during a routine visit or checkup.
This includes people who think they’ve never had chickenpox – some can get a very mild form of the illness so might not be aware of going through it.
Meanwhile, Dr Mary Ramsay, director of immunisation at the UK Health Security Agency, noted that shingles “is an extremely painful condition and complications can be long-lasting”.
“Older people and those with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable,” she added.
Janne Mills, 60, from Wakefield, urged people to get their jabs after struggling with the illness.
She described suffering from “recurring bouts of shingles whenever [her] immunity is low”.
“The pain is unlike any other you will know – imagine a cactus plant stabbing you again and again for hours and days on end,” she went on, saying her pain level reached about an eight or ten.
“Living with shingles can impact on your life, both physically and mentally,” Janne stressed.
Jan Fisher, 75, from Norfolk, who contracted shingles over a decade ago and developed complications said it was “extremely painful and itchy” and made her feel “unwell and very tired”.
“Unfortunately, I went on to develop postherpetic neuralgia, which I still have over 15 years later,” Jan said.
“If I could’ve have the vaccine to reduce the likelihood of ever having shingles, knowing what I know now, I would’ve jumped at the chance.”
Anyone who has already been vaccinated against shingles, and received the Zostavax vaccine, does not need re-vaccination with Shingrix, and severely immunosuppressed individuals who have already received 2 doses of Shingrix do not need re-vaccination, NHSE noted.
People who are severely immunosuppressed need to eight weeks to six months between doses of the jab – this includes people suffering with blood cancer who are more likely to develop serious side effects from shingles, according to Fiona Hazell, chair of the Blood Cancer Alliance and CEO of Leukaemia UK.
Those not immunocompromised should wait six to 12 months.