About shingles virus
Shingles is an infection of a nerve and the skin around it. The main symptom is a rash that develops into blisters looking similar to chicken pox.
It can happen at any age but it’s more common in the over 70s.
It usually lasts between 2 to 4 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.
Around 1 in 4 adults will get shingles in their lifetime. Having the vaccine will reduce the risk of you developing shingles.
People with a weakened immune system are also at higher risk of shingles.
It's caused by the same virus as chickenpox (herpes varicella-zoster virus). After you get chickenpox, the virus lies dormant in your body. As you age, it can become re-activated and cause shingles.
Shingles is not passed on from person to person, and it is not possible to catch shingles from someone who has chickenpox. However, direct contact with shingles blisters can infect someone who has not had chickenpox, and they may develop chickenpox as a result.
You can have shingles more than once but this is rare.
Shingles: symptoms, causes and treatment
The shingles vaccine
The Shingrix vaccine gives protection against shingles.
You can make an appointment with your GP to receive the vaccine. It is free but your GP may charge you a consultation fee.
Shingrix is given in 2 doses, 6 to 12 months apart or 8 weeks to 6 months apart if you have a weakened immune system.
Shingrix information leaflet
Side effects
The following side effects are the most common:
- headache
- nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and/or stomach pain
- muscle pain
- pain, redness and swelling at the injection site.
- feeling tired, chills and fever
Other side effects include:
- itching where the injection is given
- generally feeling unwell
- swollen glands in the neck, armpit or groin
- joint pain
Who can have the vaccine
We've implemented a revised Shingles vaccination programme to reduce the 7-year roll out programme to a 4-year programme.
If you missed your appointment in 2024, you're still eligible to receive it now.
You can receive the vaccine:
- when you've turned 60 years old
- when over 60, the ages highlighted in bold in the table below show who becomes eligible each year
- if you haven’t already received it, and you’re aged between 71 and 79 years old
1954
| 70
| 71
| 72
| 73
| 74
|
|---|
1955
| 69
| 70
| 71
| 72
| 73
|
|---|
1956
| 68
| 69
| 70
| 71
| 72
|
|---|
1957
| 67
| 68
| 69
| 70
| 71
|
|---|
1958
| 66
| 67
| 68
| 69
| 70
|
|---|
1959
| 65
| 66
| 67
| 68
| 69
|
|---|
1960
| 64
| 65
| 66
| 67
| 68
|
|---|
1961
| 63
| 64
| 65
| 66
| 67
|
|---|
1962
| 62
| 63
| 64
| 65
| 66
|
|---|
1963
| 61
| 62
| 63
| 64
| 65
|
|---|
1964
| 60
| 61
| 62
| 63
| 64
|
|---|
1965
| 59
| 60
| 61
| 62
| 63
|
|---|
1966
| 58
| 59
| 60
| 61
| 62
|
|---|
1967
| 57
| 58
| 59
| 60
| 61
|
|---|
1968
| 56
| 57
| 58
| 59
| 60
|
|---|
The vaccine is not presently offered to anyone over 80 years old.
If you have a weakened immune system, you can receive the vaccine from age 50, with no upper age limit. Contact your GP for more information.
If you missed out on the vaccine, contact your GP surgery.
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.
Who should not have the shingles vaccine
You should not have the shingles vaccine if you had a serious allergic reaction, an anaphylactic reaction, to a previous dose of shingles vaccine or chickenpox vaccine.
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