Shingrix Vaccine Available

Almost 1 out of every 3 people in the United States will develop shingles, also known as zoster or herpes zoster, in their lifetime. There are an estimated 1 million cases of shingles each year in our country. Shingles is most common in people ages 50 and older and those whose immune system is weakened because of a disease such as cancer, or by drugs such as steroids or chemotherapy. A shingles rash is usually accompanied by severe pain, often with blisters. Other symptoms can include fever, headache, chills and upset stomach.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): 

• Shingles is caused by varicella zoster virus (VZV), the same virus that causes chickenpox. After a person recovers from chickenpox, the virus stays dormant (inactive) in their body. The virus can reactivate later, causing shingles.
• Most people who develop shingles have only one episode during their lifetime. However, you can have shingles more than once.
• If you have shingles, direct contact with the fluid from your rash blisters can spread VZV to people who have never had chickenpox or never received the chickenpox vaccine. If they get infected, they will develop chickenpox, not shingles. They could then develop shingles later in life.
• The risk of spreading VZV to others is low if you cover the shingles rash. People with shingles cannot spread the virus before their rash blisters appear or after the rash crusts.
• People with chickenpox are more likely to spread VZV than people with shingles.

The Shingrix vaccine, available at Watkins Health Services, provides strong protection against shingles. The CDC recommends two doses, 2 to 6 months apart, for healthy adults 50 and older. In clinical trials, it was more than 90% effective in preventing shingles. Shingrix is also recommended for people who have already had the lesser effective Zostavax vaccine.

Current KU faculty and staff as well as employees of KU affiliated corporations may receive the Shingrix vaccine at Watkins Faculty & Staff Clinic. To schedule an appointment or speak with a nurse, call 785-864-9565. In many cases, the vaccine is covered in full as an age-appropriate preventive service. We recommend contacting your insurance plan in advance to be sure.

For more information on the Shingrix vaccine, see the CDC’s Vaccine Information Statement.