The shingles vaccine, Shingrix, is recommended for adults aged 50 and older, as well as adults aged 19 and older who have a weakened immune system. The vaccine is a two-dose series that is more than 90% effective at preventing shingles and postherpetic neuralgia, the most common complication from shingles, in adults with healthy immune systems.
Even if you have had shingles, it is important to receive the vaccine as it can help prevent future infections. It is also recommended that you get Shingrix if you received Zostavax, a shingles vaccine that is no longer available in the U.S.
It is critical to receive the vaccine if you had chickenpox or think you have had chickenpox. Chickenpox and shingles are caused by the same virus, and after a person recovers from chickenpox, the virus stays dormant or inactive in the body and can be reactivated years later to cause shingles. More than 99% of Americans born in 1980 or before have had chickenpox, so even if you can’t remember having chickenpox, is recommended that you get the vaccine.
As of 2023, Medicare Part D covers the full cost of the vaccine. Coverage varies for other insurers, so contact your insurance company to learn more about whether it will cost you anything to receive the vaccine.
To learn more about Shingrix, click the link below or talk to your healthcare provider. .
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, May 24). Shingles Vaccination: What Everyone Should Know.. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/shingles/public/shingrix/index.html