New to Shingles Vaccination? Start Here
Shingles Vaccination: the few things that matter most, and the mistakes that catch people out early.
A vaccine reducing the risk of shingles and the nerve pain that can follow it.
Key takeaways
- Offered to: older adults; the eligibility age has been changing
- Course: two doses of the non-live vaccine
- Most useful single change: Ask your GP whether you are eligible; people often miss this one.
- Commonest mistake: Assuming having had chickenpox protects you from shingles; it is the cause.
- See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to speak to a doctor" below apply to you.
Why bother
Post-herpetic neuralgia can persist for months or years, and is considerably harder to treat than to prevent.
Start here
Just these two to begin with. The rest can wait.
- Ask your GP whether you are eligible; people often miss this one
- Complete both doses
Then add these
Next, once the first two have stopped feeling like effort.
- Seek treatment within 72 hours if shingles develops
The numbers, in one place
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Offered to | older adults; the eligibility age has been changing |
| Course | two doses of the non-live vaccine |
| Shingles cause | reactivation of the chickenpox virus |
| Antiviral window | within 72 hours of the rash appearing |
Common early mistakes
- Assuming having had chickenpox protects you from shingles; it is the cause
- Delaying assessment of a new painful rash
Where to go next
- Popular Beliefs About Shingles Vaccination, and What Is Actually Published
- Shingles Vaccination: Common Questions Answered
- Shingles Vaccination — the reference entry
- Pneumococcal Vaccination: What the Evidence Actually Says
- What the Guidance Really Says About Vaccination in Pregnancy
When to speak to a doctor
Seek urgent medical advice for shingles affecting the eye or the tip of the nose, which can threaten sight, and for shingles in anyone immunosuppressed or pregnant. Start antivirals within 72 hours of the rash appearing where possible.
Where this comes from
- UK Health Security Agency — shingles vaccination
- NHS — Shingles
How this page was put together
Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarised or generalised beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to a GP, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 999.
Spotted something wrong? Report an error on this page. We correct on the page and say what changed.
