What Are The Possible Side Effects Of Shingles Immunisation
All medicines and vaccines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time theyre not.
For most people, the chance of having a serious side effect from a vaccine is much lower than the chance of serious harm if you caught the disease.
Talk to your doctor about possible side effects of shingles vaccines, or if you have possible side effects that worry you.
Common side effects of shingles vaccines include:
- pain, redness, swelling or itching where the needle went in
Serious reactions to immunisation are rare. With Zostavax® vaccination, very rarely a generalised chickenpox-like rash may occur around 24 weeks after vaccination. This may be associated with fever and feeling unwell. This rash may be a sign of a serious reaction to the virus in the vaccine. Seek medical attention and inform of recent Zostavax vaccination if you experience this reaction.
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Who Should Get The Vaccine
A vaccine, called Zostavax, reduces the likelihood of developing shingles by 51 percent. And for those who get shingles anyway, the vaccine cuts the risk for lingering nerve pain by 67 percent.
So who should get the Zostavax vaccine, and when? Currently, the government’s advice is for the vaccine to be given only once in a lifetime.
Because the shot’s effectiveness begins to wane after five years and the risks of shingles and PHN rise as we age, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises that people have the shot at age 60 or older.
The wrinkle: Although the CDC doesn’t recommend use of the Zostavax vaccine in people age 50 to 59, it’s approved by the Food and Drug Administration for that group. That means doctors can administer it to people in that age range when they think it’s appropriate.
Currently, it’s unclear exactly who would fall into that group. The CDC’s take on the matter: Healthcare providers who choose to give the vaccine to people between 50 and 59 might consider those who would have significant difficulty tolerating shingles and/or PHN.
This could, says the CDC, include people with chronic pain, severe depression, sensitivity to the medications used to treat shingles, or those whose jobs would make shingles or PHN especially challenging. In these cases, you and your doctor should discuss potential risks and benefits of the vaccine. Cost may be a factor, too.
How Well Does Zostavax Work
Zostavax®, the shingles vaccine, reduced the risk of shingles by 51% and the risk of post-herpetic neuralgia by 67% based on a large study of more than 38,000 adults aged 60 years or older. Protection from shingles vaccine lasts about 5 years.
While the vaccine was most effective in people 60 through 69 years old, it also provides some protection for people 70 years old and older.
Adults vaccinated before age 60 years might not be protected later in life when the risk for shingles and its complications are greatest.
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Does The Shingles Vaccine Contain Thimerosal
You may be concerned about additives to the shingles vaccine, like thimerosal.
Thimerosal is a preservative that contains mercury. Its added to some vaccines to prevent bacteria and other germs from growing in them. The shingles vaccine contains thimerosal.
The worry about thimerosal arose when early research linked it to autism. This connection has since been found to be untrue.
What Is The Shingles Shot
The shingles shot boosts your immune system to help protect you from shingles. It cannot be used to treat existing shingles or the pain associated with existing shingles. It is safe to receive the vaccine if you have had shingles in the past and fully recovered.
The shingles vaccine is recommended for adults of 50 years of age or older.
Talk with your health care provider if you have any of the following:
- Severe infection with a high temperature
- Bleeding problem or bruise easily
- If you have had an adverse event from a previous vaccination
- If you are pregnant or might be pregnant.
Someone with a minor acute illness, such as a cold, may be vaccinated. Someone with a moderate or severe acute illness should wait until they have recovered before getting the vaccine. This includes a temperature of 38.4 C or higher.
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Vaccine Safety And Side Effects
Vaccines are very safe, and they can help keep you from getting serious or life-threatening diseases. The most common side effects for all these vaccines are mild and may include pain, swelling, or redness where the vaccine was given.
Before getting any vaccine, talk with a doctor or pharmacist about your health history, including past illnesses and treatments, as well as any allergies. A health care provider can address any concerns you have.
It’s a good idea to keep your own vaccination record, listing the types and dates of your shots, along with any side effects or problems.
How Long After Ive Received The Shingles Vaccine Am I Contagious
With the currently authorized shingles vaccine, Shingrix, you wont be contagious. The old vaccine, Zostavax, used a weakened form of the live varicella-zoster virus. Therefore, people worried about spreading the disease to the people around them.
Shingrix doesnt use a live version of the varicella-zoster virus. It is inactivated, which means it uses a dead version of the virus. Therefore, you have no risk of transmitting the disease to anyone.
A note from Cleveland Clinic
No one likes to get shots, especially for something youve already been vaccinated for. But the newer version of the shingles vaccine is one youll want to offer up your arm for. The Shingrix vaccine is more than 90% effective at helping you prevent shingles. Since most of us have had chickenpox in the past, the shingles vaccine is an easy way to prevent the dormant chickenpox virus from creeping up and hitting you again with shingles.
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Will There Be Any Side Effects From The Shingles Vaccination
There are 2 shingles vaccines: Zostavax and Shingrix .
With both vaccines it’s quite common to get redness and discomfort at the vaccination site, headaches and fatigue, but these side effects should not last more than a few days. See a GP if you have side effects that last longer than a few days, or if you develop a rash after having the shingles vaccination.
Read more about the shingles vaccine side effects.
Are There Any Reasons I Shouldn’t Have The Shingles Vaccine
You shouldn’t have the shingles vaccine if:
- you’ve had a severe reaction to any of the ingredients in the vaccine
- you’ve had a severe reaction to a previous dose of the chickenpox vaccine
If you don’t have a severely weakened immune system, the shingles vaccine you’ll be offered contains a small trace of pork gelatine.
Gelatine is a common and essential ingredient in many medicines, including some vaccines.
Many faith groups, including Muslim and Jewish communities, have approved the use of gelatine-containing vaccines. It is, however, an individual choice whether or not to receive the shingles vaccine.
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Who Should Not Get The Shingles Vaccine
If you are getting Shingrix®, speak with your health care provider if you have had a life-threatening reaction to a previous dose of the vaccine or to any part of the vaccine.
If you are getting Zostavax® II, speak with a health care provider if you:
- Have had a life-threatening reaction to any part of the vaccine including gelatin or neomycin
- Have an immune system weakened by disease or medical treatment
- Have active, untreated tuberculosis
- Are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Women should avoid becoming pregnant for 3 months after getting Zostavax® II
There is no need to delay getting immunized because of a cold or other mild illness. However, if you have concerns, speak with your health care provider.
Know The Benefits And The Side Effects
Shingrix is more than 90% effective at preventing shingles and long-term nerve pain. You may experience some short-term side effects because Shingrix causes a strong response in your immune system.
After getting Shingrix:
- Most people had a sore arm.
- Many people had redness and swelling where they got the shot .
- Many felt tired, had muscle pain, a headache, shivering, fever, stomach pain, or nausea.
About 1 out of 6 people who got Shingrix experienced side effects that prevented them from doing regular activities like yardwork or swimming. Side effects usually go away after 2 to 3 days. Remember that the pain from shingles can last a lifetime, and these side effects should only last a few days.
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Do You Need The Shingles Vaccine
rmgadminGeneral Posts, Shingles
Shingles is a painful, viral infection that causes an itchy, red rash on one side of the body, and its caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. Eventually, the blisters of the rash will form scabs in around 10 days before clearing up in roughly four weeks.
While its not a life-threatening infection, if its not treated in a timely manner, it can lead to complications that cause pain long after the rash has cleared, a condition called postherpetic neuralgia.
According to the Centers for Disease Control 1 out of every 3 people will develop shingles during their lives. This equates to one million cases of shingles annually in the United States.
Anyone who has had chickenpox can get shingles.
The good news is that the pain and inconvenience of shingles can be easily avoided by being vaccinated.
However, there is often some confusion around this immunization, centering around who should receive the vaccine and how often it should be administered. Well break down important facts about shingles and the vaccine so you can be prepared to make an informed choice.
Can You Get Chickenpox If You’ve Been Vaccinated
Yes. About 15% 20% of people who have received one dose of varicella vaccine do still get chickenpox if they are exposed, but their disease is usually mild. Vaccinated persons who get chickenpox generally have fewer than 50 spots or bumps, which may resemble bug bites more than typical, fluid-filled chickenpox blisters. In 2006, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted to recommend routine two-dose varicella vaccination for children. In one study, children who received two doses of varicella vaccine were three times less likely to get chickenpox than individuals who have had only one dose.
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What Are The Possible Side Effects Of Shingrix
Studies show that Shingrix is safe. The vaccine helps your body create a strong defense against shingles. As a result, you are likely to have temporary side effects from getting the shots. The side effects might affect your ability to do normal daily activities for 2 to 3 days.
Most people got a sore arm with mild or moderate pain after getting Shingrix, and some also had redness and swelling where they got the shot. Some people felt tired, had muscle pain, a headache, shivering, fever, stomach pain, or nausea. Some people who got Shingrix experienced side effects that prevented them from doing regular activities. Symptoms went away on their own in about 2 to 3 days. Side effects were more common in younger people.
You might have a reaction to the first or second dose of Shingrix, or both doses. If you experience side effects, you may choose to take over-the-counter pain medicine such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
Guillain-Barré syndrome , a serious nervous system disorder, has been reported very rarely after Shingrix. There is also a very small increased risk of GBS after having shingles.
If you experience side effects from Shingrix, you should report them to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System . Your doctor might file this report, or you can do it yourself through the VAERS websiteexternal icon, or by calling 1-800-822-7967.
If you have any questions about side effects from Shingrix, talk with your doctor.
What Illnesses Does Varicella
Chickenpox first occurs as a blister-like skin rash and fever. It takes from 10-21 days after exposure for someone to develop chickenpox. The sores commonly occur in batches with different stages present at the same time. The blisters usually scab over in 5 days. A person with chickenpox is contagious 1-2 days before the rash appears and until all blisters have formed scabs. Children with weakened immune systems may have blisters occurring for a prolonged time period. Adults can develop severe pneumonia and other serious complications.
Shingles occurs when the virus, which has been inactive for some time, becomes active again. Severe pain and numbness along nerve pathways, commonly on the trunk or on the face, are present. Clusters of blisters appear 1 to 5 days later. The blisters are usually on one side of the body and closer together than in chickenpox. Shingles does not spread as shingles from one person to another. If people who have never had chickenpox come in contact with the fluid from shingles blisters, they can develop chickenpox.
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New Booster Doses Expected To Provide At Least Four Months Of Protection
A syringe with a booster COVID-19 vaccine is held by a Nomi Health worker in West Valley City on Thursday, July 14, 2022. Want an updated COVID-19 booster shot? Well, if youve recently had the virus, youll need to wait.
Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
Want an ? Well, if youve recently had the virus, youll need to wait.
Spacing out the time between infection and vaccine doses improves the long-term antibody responses, Dr. Hannah Imlay, a University of Utah Health assistant professor of internal medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases, told reporters during a virtual news conference earlier this week.
So the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends holding off until three months after a COVID-19 infection before getting the new booster shot now targeted at the currently circulating strains of the omicron variant, BA.4 and BA.5, as well as the original virus, Imlay said.
The idea being, youve got a lot of immune priming from your infection. You get a lot of immune priming from your most recent vaccine dose. So wait some time before getting the bivalent booster, she said, using the term that describes the shots new dual targeting.
But there are exceptions.
Timing the booster, now available to anyone 12 and older, is a little bit difficult, Imlay acknowledged.
Why Is It Still Important For Cancer Patients To Receive The Shingles Vaccine
People living with cancer and undergoing treatment for it are at a higher risk for developing shingles and complications. The recombinant shingles vaccine is both safe and effective for people with compromised immune systems, including cancer patients. Getting the vaccine will reduce the number of cases and reports of complications.
The timing of when you get the vaccine may be aligned with when your immune system is stronger.
For people with solid tumor cancers specifically, researchers have found that the vaccine produced an expected immune response, even in those who were undergoing chemotherapy. The immune response lasted even a year after getting the vaccine.
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What Are The Side Effects Of The Shingles Vaccine
Most side effects of the shingles vaccine are mild and typically last only 2 to 3 days.
One of the most common side effects of the shingles vaccine is an injection site reaction. This can include redness, swelling, or soreness where you got your shot.
Other side effects can include:
- muscle aches and pains
Side effects felt throughout your body are typically more common after receiving the second and booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Like the shingles vaccine, COVID-19 vaccine side effects typically last only a couple of days.
When COVID-19 and flu circulate at the same time, it has the potential to cause many people to become ill and overburden the healthcare system. As such, its essential to receive both COVID-19 and flu vaccines.
Its safe to receive your COVID-19 and flu vaccine at the same time.
Though were still learning more about giving the COVID-19 vaccine with other vaccines, a found no safety concerns when the COVID-19 and flu vaccine were given at the same time. Also, participants produced expected antibody responses to both vaccines.
The CDC that all people ages 6 months and older get a flu vaccine. The flu vaccine can help prevent illness and reduce the risk of serious flu-related complications in vulnerable individuals, such as:
How Long After Having Covid
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending you should consider waiting for … three months after you first noticed Covid-19 symptoms or first had a positive Covid-19 test before getting your Covid-19 vaccine or vaccine booster.
NurPhoto via Getty Images
Say youve just recovered from having Covid-19. How long should you then wait for it, wait for it, wait to get your next Covid-19 vaccine whether its your first ever Covid-19 vaccine, your second dose, your booster, or your bivalent booster? Well, going to get vaccinated while you are still spewing out the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 would not be cool. So you should certainly wait until your definitely not contagious. But you may want to wait for it longer. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is saying that before getting your Covid-19 vaccine or vaccine booster you should consider waiting for three months after you first noticed Covid-19 symptoms or first had a positive Covid-19 test. In fact, a study newly published in the journal Cell suggests that you may want to wait for it, wait for it, wait even longer for your next Covid-19 vaccination.
The reason is priming. No, not Amazon Prime but immune priming. Priming occurs when the cells in your immune system first get exposed to something that your immune system is supposed to react against. To understand priming think of the following lyrics to I Will Survive sung by Gloria Gaynor:
And I grew strong,
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