Protect Yourself

Adults aged 50 and older should get the shingles vaccine. Shingles (herpes zoster) is a viral disease of nerves and skin that causes a blistering rash and pain in the area of the rash. It usually effects older adults. It is caused by the chickenpox virus (varicella zoster).

If you had chickenpox when you were younger, you are always at risk of getting shingles because the virus lives in your system even after you recover and can flare up as shingles rash. 

All people aged 50 or older should get two doses of the shingles vaccine called Shingrix (recombinant zoster vaccine).

This will help prevent shingles and its complications. Get the second dose 2 to 6 months after the first dose. If you have a weakened immune system, you can get the second dose 1 to 2 months after the first dose.

You should get Shingrix even if in the past you:

• Have already had shingles 
• Received a previous shingles vaccine called Zostavax
• Received varicella (chickenpox) vaccine

* A shingles vaccine called zoster vaccine live (Zostavax) is no longer available for use in the United States. If you had Zostavax in the past, you should still get Shingrix. Talk to your healthcare provider to determine the best time to get Shingrix. If you have had shingles in the past, Shingrix can help prevent you from getting it again. There is no specific length of time that you need to wait after the acute stage of shingles is over before you can get Shingrix.

If you have had shingles in the past, Shingrix can help prevent you from getting it again. There is no specific length of time that you need to wait after the acute stage of shingles is over before you can get Shingrix.

Post-Herpetic Neuralgia

The most common complication shingles can cause is pain in and around rash area and it is called “post-herpetic neuralgia.” This is a painful condition that can last for months to years.

Last Updated October 2022