Commonly Asked Questions About The Shingles Vaccine Answered

Written by: Dr. Nitika Makhija Reviewed by: Dr. Swati Mishra

[{"selector":"#anim-66f4d6ad-baed-4974-9533-85d354d9f0fb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-27b17b41-16b5-4755-a408-35ec382829d7","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 119.68254%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Shingles is a viral infection caused by the reactivation of the chickenpox virus. It results in a painful rash, often appearing as a stripe of blisters on one side of the body or face, and can lead to long-term nerve pain. Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Vaccination is a highly effective way to prevent shingles or to reduce its severity & avoid complications.

[{"selector":"#anim-055de5b9-22c3-4a79-b767-87cf1c170c30","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-117.0418%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-93b536a7-6c9e-4249-915a-1d6714a67f99","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d038d6ae-e106-4f1b-adc8-4dca579df7dc","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Frequently Asked Questions About The Shingles Vaccine

[{"selector":"#anim-f8333c50-a833-47b0-8b28-195433f8f23d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-27eacd99-7b1b-4d9d-9081-3cfda8a1ea4a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 297.37950%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Credit: Shutterstock

What Is The Shingles Vaccine?

[{"selector":"#anim-3bd4315b-a3a3-491a-a17a-9ee99cc49672","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a066473a-a79d-40a2-b794-ff08ebdea422","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 139.19330%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c6313bd9-e4a9-478e-964c-9a83d8e1f411","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-103ab36c-5af9-4d3a-bfa0-397515999f28","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 391.37659%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The shingles vaccine, Shingrix, helps protect against shingles and its complications, like postherpetic neuralgia. Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Who Should Get The Shingles Vaccine?

[{"selector":"#anim-abc8fdb6-41d0-4bae-97ce-9707b9015d7b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-82909be1-7133-48dd-811f-cc106fca7e94","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 131.70893%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4a66e65e-a7a9-4d33-9d42-b76ecbc89dab","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-44b993a8-b587-4c2a-8a33-7812ce6a4aee","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 436.15274%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The shingles vaccine is recommended for adults aged 50 and older. It’s also advised for those with weakened immune systems as well. Photo Credit: Shutterstock

How Effective Is The Shingles Vaccine?

[{"selector":"#anim-ee5be76c-fe8c-4013-8f98-8aab90f0b52d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4f1b0ee4-7a21-4071-83ed-a6c97debac31","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 166.57562%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1b8cb87f-c5e6-40fe-ad24-0328e5d48ca7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-edfb6a36-fa42-472a-873c-a3b2c0f53b4c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 406.30194%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Shingrix is over 90% effective in preventing shingles in adults 50 and older with healthy immune systems. Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Can The Shingles Vaccine Cause Shingles?

[{"selector":"#anim-1721fb5e-6df5-4b37-9b02-d10e04adf5da","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7b78521d-3fca-413f-8acf-99a11fbbbef6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 130.53932%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1c72a0a6-f2b7-4f9b-b068-53c903d3bb8c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c9a0c5be-b502-41b4-956b-6453f5d78c1e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 318.59404%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] No, the Shingles vaccine cannot cause shingles. The vaccine helps your immune system recognize and fight the virus but does not cause the disease. Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Are There Any Side Effects Of The Shingles Vaccine?

[{"selector":"#anim-1601084b-be2c-4294-9ed3-f8e18866190c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b333137f-1968-4ad8-b085-107cf2234774","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 118.99092%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-09a5977f-9fb2-42e3-9554-09a3ba056808","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2e11dd73-da15-4871-9bfb-c7e76e63a9e3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 328.79810%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Common side effects of the shingles vaccine, such as pain at the injection site, muscle aches, fatigue, and mild fever, are usually temporary and resolve within a few days. Photo Credit: Shutterstock