Shingles vaccine

​​​​​​About the shingles vaccine

​The shingles vaccine ​provides protection against shingles and you only need one dose.  

The vaccine is most effective when given at age 70. 

It's not being offered to younger people, because shingles is more common in the over 70s.

Who can have the shingles vaccine

The vaccine is offered to Islanders during the year of their 70th birthday.

For example, if you were born in 1948, you are able to have the vaccine during 2018. If you were born in 1949, you will be able to have the vaccine during 2019, and so on.

Catch-up programme

Vaccine was offered to people born between 1937 to 1945 as part of a catch-up programe which ran during late 2016 and thoughout 2017. Vaccine was also routinely offered to people born in 1946 in 2016 and to people born in 1947 during 2017.

If you missed out on getting the vaccine when it was offered to your year of birth group, and you now wish to have it, contact your GP surgery. However, the vaccine cannot be given to anyone age 80 or over as it isn't as effective when given at this age.

If you've already had shingles​

You can have the shingles vaccine even if you've already had shingles. 

The vaccine will boost your immunity against further shingles attacks.​

Where to get the vaccine

If this is your 70th birthday year, make an appointment at your GP surgery. You don't have to wait until your actual birthday to get the vaccination.

Cost of the vaccine

Side effects of the shingles vaccine

It's quite common to get redness and discomfort at the injection site, as well as headaches. These side effects are generally mild and don't last long.

Speak to your GP if these symptoms last longer than a few days after having the shingles vaccine.

About shingles disease

​Shingles is an unpleasant, often debilitating illness. 

Shingles:

• is an infection of a nerve and the skin around it. The main symptom is followed by a rash that develops into blisters, similar appearance to chicken pox
• usually lasts between two and four weeks. The older you are, the worse it can be. It can lead to complications, such as severe nerve pain which can last for months or even years
  
• is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox (herpes varicella-zoster virus). After you get chickenpox, the virus lies dormant in your body. As we age, it can become re-activated and cause shingles
  
• can't be caught from someone else with shingles or from someone with chicken pox
  
• is more common in the over 70s​. Around 1 in 4 adults will get shingles in their lifetime. Before the vaccine was introduced, Jersey had 80 to 90 cases of shingles per year among 70 to 79 year olds. We anticipate the vaccine protection will reduce the number of people developeing shingles. ​​
  

Shingles on NHS Choices website​

Patient information leaflet for the shingles vaccine on Medicines.org website