Shingles vaccine now available for people aged 50 years and over. Between a quarter & a third of adults will develop shingles at some point in their lives. There is now a vaccine against shingles available in the UK, although at present it is only available privately.
At best, shingles results in a painful and unsightly rash with a few days of feeling unwell. At worse, the shingles can be followed by eye complications, including loss of sight, and ‘post-herpetic neuralgia’, a debilitating complication that can result in many months of unremitting pain and suffering.
The vaccine not only reduces the possibility of developing shingles, but in those who do develop it, the likelihood of severe complications is very much reduced.
At present the supply is not sufficient for the NHS to offer the vaccine, although it may do from late next year. However, the vaccine will then only be offered to those people aged between 70 and 80 years old.
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