Vaccine Reduces Shingles Cases and Costs
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Shingles cases have been reduced by 35% in England since a free vaccine was offered to 70-year-olds, reports Public Health England.
In England, the shingles vaccination program launched in 2013 and was designed for 5.5 million adults aged 70 to 78.
This age group is most at risk of shingles and more likely to develop complications, such as severe nerve pain.
A report published in the Lancet Journal of Public Health found that roughly 17,000 general practitioner visits for shingles had been avoided.
And another 3,300 consultations were avoided for one of the main complications of shingles, which is postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) or long-term pain.
Though many recover from PHN, symptoms can last for years or can become permanent.
This study estimates that the vaccine is 62% effective against shingles and between 70-88% effective against PHN.
Despite the reduction in shingles cases, the uptake of the Zostavax vaccine has declined, with a 13% decline in people aged 70 since 2013.
More than 50,000 cases of shingles occur in people aged 70+ each year in England and Wales, and around 50 cases are fatal.
Dr. Mary Ramsay, Head of Immunisations at PHE, said “Our population is aging and the risk of getting shingles and complications is higher as you get older. Immunisation is the best way to protect yourself from this painful, sometimes debilitating condition.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says shingles strikes about 1 million people in the U.S. each year and nearly one in three adults will experience a shingles outbreak in their lifetime.
Recently, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Shingrix (Zoster Vaccine Recombinant, Adjuvanted) for the prevention of shingles (herpes zoster) in adults aged 50 years and older.
Shingrix is a non-live, recombinant subunit vaccine given intramuscularly in two doses.
It combines an antigen, glycoprotein E, and an adjuvant system, AS01B, intended to generate a strong and long-lasting immune response that can help overcome the decline in immunity as people age.
Most pharmacies offer shingles vaccines. The retail price of this vaccine varies based upon insurance coverage and location.
Vaccine discounts can be found here.
Vaccines, like any medicine, can have side effects, says the CDC. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of vaccines to the FDA or CDC.
This study was funded by the Department of Health UK. No conflicts of interest were disclosed. Correspondence information about the author MFPH Gayatri Amirthalingam. Email the author MFPH Gayatri Amirthalingam.
Our Trust Standards: Medical Advisory Committee
- Shingrix Approved For Prevention of Shingles in Adults aged 50+
- Evaluation of the effect of the herpes zoster vaccination programme 3 years after its introduction in England: a population-base
- Shingles (herpes zoster): the green book, chapter 28a
- Long-term Persistence of Zoster Vaccine Efficacy
- Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)