What is shingles?
Shingles is a painful disease caused by a reawakening of the same virus that causes chickenpox. Shingles most often occurs in elderly people and people of any age with weakened immune systems. Common symptoms of shingles include a rash, usually in a band - like pattern on one side of the body, and severe pain. Sometimes pain can last for months or years.
How do you get shingles?
People don't catch shingles from other people. Only people who have had chickenpox can get shingles. Shingles occurs when the chickenpox virus, which can live silently in the nervous system for decades, reawakens. This can be caused by weakening of the immune system, most commonly from advancing age. Most often, cases of shingles occur among adults who are otherwise healthy.
How can you avoid shingles?
Once a person has had chickenpox, they can get shingles. The only way to prevent it is with the shingles vaccine.
Does the shingles vaccine work?
Yes. Shingrix protected almost 100% of people from getting the shingles rash and about 90% from the long-lasting pain associated with shingles.
Is the shingles vaccine safe?
Yes. Common side effects can include redness, pain and swelling at the injection site, as well as tiredness, fever, headache, body aches, pain or shivering.