Shingles (Herpes Zoster) Vaccine

Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, triggers a painful skin condition and is caused by the same virus as chickenpox (varicella-zoster)¹.

Many people get chickenpox as a child, and the virus continues to live in your nerve cells as an adult. For one in three adults, the virus will become active again, which causes shingles.

¹National Institute on Aging, Shingles, accessed 6 February 2023

Shingles is characterised by the painful and intense skin rash that appears usually on one side of the face or body that can result in blistering. Some other symptoms include¹:

• Fatigue

• Sensitivity to touch

• Numbness in the affected area of the body

• Fever

• Headaches

• Pain

The painful rash can appear on the affected area of the body just two to three days after your initial symptoms. The rash can last for 10 to 15 days.

In severe cases, there can be some scarring of the skin where the rash was as well as a secondary bacterial infection.

¹Healthdirect, Shingles, accessed 6 February 2023

Shingles can be spread to a person who hasn’t had chickenpox or any shingles vaccinations by coming in contact with fluid contained in the shingles blisters. It can also be spread by¹:

• Direct contact with the lesions

• Touching dressings, sheets or clothes soiled with discharge from the sores

¹Better Health Victoria, Shingles, accessed 6 February 2023

You can be diagnosed with shingles after you visit your doctor who has conducted the examination.

Your doctor will ask about the symptoms you’ve been experiencing as well as testing some of the fluids from your blisters to confirm that it is shingles¹.

¹Healthdirect, Shingles, accessed 6 February 2023

Unfortunately, there is no cure for shingles, but you can manage your symptoms through antiviral medications1. Treatment should start within three days of the painful rash appearing.

If you are pregnant, please speak to your doctor.

Over the counter medicines can be used to control your pain, such as anti-inflammatory medications or paracetamol. However, your doctor can prescribe other medicines if these aren’t managing your pain effectively.

There are a range of things you can do to manage your pain around shingles, including:

• Wearing loose clothing

• Keeping the rash dry and clean

• Covering the rash so you can avoid spreading the virus to others in a non-stick dressing

• Not scratching the rash, as it can cause infection and scarring of the blisters

¹Healthdirect, Shingles, accessed 6 February 2023

The shingles vaccine is the best protection available against shingles¹.

 You may need one or two doses, depending on the type of vaccine you get, as there are two types of vaccine available.

For more information about the Shingles vaccination, please speak to your local Blooms The Chemist Pharmacist.

¹Healthdirect, Shingles, accessed 6 February 2023

Some common side effects of the vaccine include¹:

• Pain, redness and swelling at the injection side

• Headaches

• Mild fever

• Rash five to 26 days after vaccination, usually at the injection site

¹Australian Department of Health and Aged Care, Shingles (herpes zoster) vaccine, accessed 6 February 2023

The Australian Immunisation Handbook recommends the shingles vaccine for a range of people, including¹:

• People aged 65 years and older (non-Indigenous)
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults aged 50 years and older
• Immunicompromised adults aged 18 years and over with haemopoietic stem cell transplants, solid organ transplants, haematological malignancy and advanced or untreated HIV

¹Australian Department of Health and Aged Care, Zoster (herpes zoster), accessed 1 November 2023

The shingles vaccination with a 2-dose course of Shingrix vaccine is free for the following people under the National Immunisation Program from November 1, 2023:

• People aged 65 years and older (non-Indigenous)
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults aged 50 years and older
• Immunicompromised adults aged 18 years and over with haemopoietic stem cell transplants, solid organ transplants, haematological malignancy and advanced or untreated HIV

You can check here to see if you are eligible to receive a NIP funded vaccine.

If you are eligible for a vaccination under the National Immunisation Program (NIP), you may need to confirm with your selected Blooms The Chemist pharmacy about their NIP vaccine stock availability. Please note that there may be a service fee associated with a NIP vaccination.