Shingles is a painful and potentially dangerous condition caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. The virus lies dormant in your nervous system after you’ve had chickenpox, and can reactivate later in life, causing shingles.
Although the chickenpox vaccine has dramatically reduced the incidence of chickenpox, the shingles vaccine is not as widely used, and the number of shingles cases has been rising in recent years.
There are two shingles vaccines available: Zostavax and Shingrix. Zostavax is a live vaccine, while Shingrix is a recombinant (non-live) vaccine. Zostavax is about 51% effective at preventing shingles, while Shingrix is about 97% effective.
The CDC recommends that everyone aged 60 and over should get the Shingrix vaccine, even if they’ve already had shingles or have been vaccinated with Zostavax.
There are several risks associated with not getting the shingles vaccine:
You could develop shingles
If you’re not vaccinated and you come into contact with the varicella-zoster virus, you could develop shingles. Shingles is a painful condition that can cause fever, headache, and a characteristic rash. In some cases, shingles can also lead to serious complications such as pneumonia, stroke, and even death.
You could spread shingles to others
If you develop shingles, you can spread the virus to other people, even if they’ve been vaccinated. This is because the shingles vaccine is not 100% effective, and some people who are vaccinated can still develop the condition.
You could develop complications from shingles
As well as being painful, shingles can also lead to serious complications such as pneumonia, stroke, and even death.
You could miss out on work or school
If you develop shingles, you may have to miss out on work or school while you recover. This can lead to lost income or falling behind in your studies.
You could develop postherpetic neuralgia
Postherpetic neuralgia is a condition that can occur after shingles. It causes pain that can last for months or even years.
The best way to protect yourself from the risks of shingles is to get vaccinated. The CDC recommends that everyone aged 60 and over should get the Shingrix vaccine.
