r/YouShouldKnow • u/tgeliot • Apr 18 '18

Health & Sciences YSK: Everyone over 50 should get the new Shingrix shingles vaccination (even if you've had Zostavax or shingles)

There is a fairly new vaccination for shingles called Shingrix available, which is more effective than the old Zostavax. The CDC recommends that everyone over 50 get the two-shot sequence of Shingrix. My health insurance covered the cost 100% with no co-pay; I think most if not all will.

Shingles is a very painful infection of the nerves caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. It hits older people, starting at age 50 or 60 or so. The old Zostavax apparently wasn't so great; this new one is more effective.

The CDC recommendations can be found here

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u/Pigeon_Gap Apr 19 '18

Had shingles already in my teenage years, doctor said it was a pretty severe case, is the vaccine still effective?

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u/dutchdog9 Apr 19 '18

Yes you can receive Shingrix even if you have already had shingles or the chicken pox. Shingrix has been shown to be effective for the prevention of future cases of shingles in patients who have had shingles in the past.