ZOSTAVAX (Shingles) Vaccine

Have you thought about the Shingles vaccination?

One vaccination that people over the age of 50 should consider is Zostavax, or the shingles vaccination.

Patients with shingles often suffer from extreme pain and blisters, occasionally involving eyes, ears and other organs. Sometimes the pain persists for months or even years. The shingles vaccination is very good at preventing all of these things.

Shingles is a reactivation of the herpes zoster virus that lives dormant in our nerve cells since getting infected with chicken pox as a child.

The lifetime risk of shingles occurring is 1 in 3 but a vaccination reduces those chances by at least 50%. It also reduces the chances of long term pain, which is called post-herpetic neuralgia by 60%. The shingles vaccination also offers long term protection of at least five years and probably more, but studies do not go that far yet.

Zostavax, the Shingles vaccination, is free to 65yr olds only.

We are now able to offer non-eligible patients Shingrix, this requires 2 doses. Please call the nurse to enquire regarding ordering and cost.  Vaccine must be ordered before appointment is booked.