Shingles vaccine: Who should get it?

Who should get the shingles vaccine?

- Doris / New Jersey

Mayo Clinic infectious disease specialist James Steckelberg, M.D., and colleagues answer select questions from readers.

Answer

The shingles vaccine (Zostavax) is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in people 60 years of age and older to prevent shingles. It is not approved for use in individuals younger than age 60.

You can get shingles more than once. So, even if you've already had shingles and you are age 60 and older, you should get the shingles vaccine to prevent a repeat episode.

Getting the shingles vaccine doesn't guarantee you won't get shingles. But if you do get shingles, this vaccine will likely reduce the duration and severity of the disease and reduce your risk of postherpetic neuralgia, a debilitating, painful complication of shingles. In a clinical trial involving thousands of adults 60 years and older, Zostavax prevented shingles in 51 percent of those who received the vaccine. It also prevented postherpetic neuralgia in 67 percent of participants.

The shingles vaccine is a live vaccine given as a single injection, usually in the upper arm. The most common side effects of the shingles vaccine are redness, pain, tenderness and swelling at the injection site and headaches.

The shingles vaccine isn't recommended if you:

Have ever had a life-threatening allergic reaction to gelatin, the antibiotic neomycin or any other component of the shingles vaccine
Have a weakened immune system due to HIV or another disease that affects the immune system
Are receiving cancer treatment, such as radiation or chemotherapy
Are receiving treatment with drugs that affect the immune system, such as steroids
Have a history of cancer affecting the bone marrow or lymphatic system, such as leukemia or lymphoma
Have active, untreated tuberculosis
Are pregnant or trying to become pregnant

In some cases, the cost of the shingles vaccine may not be covered by Medicare or insurance. Check your plan.