Covid & Shingles is there a link?

There is a vaccine against chickenpox that can be given to children, but it's not part of normal vaccination schedule in UK, though it is in some countries. One of the reasons given for not including it (apart from cost) is that if adults are exposed to chickenpox it boosts their immunity and may make them less likely to develop shingles.
www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/chickenpox-vaccine-questions-answers/

I'm not sure that's a good enough reason not to give children a vaccine against a nasty disease that can occasionally cause serious illness or even kill. My grandchildren have been vaccinated against chickenpox which should also prevent them getting shingles in later life.

volver

^Conclusion: We could not establish definite link but there may be possible association between COVID-19 vaccine and shingles. Large-scale studies may help to understand the cause-effect relationship.^

Nothing about the Covid vaccine affecting immunity to the chicken pox virus.

The quote is saying that there may be an association with between the Covid vaccine and shingles. More research needed. That seems pretty clear there is a possible link. I started the thread by asking other people's experiences. If there's a link it's quite rare but it's worth knowing.

The Covid vaccine (plus worrying about it and about Covid) is just one of the stresses that affect people at the moment. When you think of the many stressful things that are going around us, between that and the drop in the take-up in shingles vaccine, it is a wonder we aren't ALL suffering from shingles.

I know that some people think I’m argumentative and try to pick holes in other people arguments, but this is important.

There is no evidence that the COVID vaccine causes shingles, much less that the COVID vaccine reduces your immunity to the Chicken Pox virus. If this kind of misinformation becomes widespread it could impact on people’s decision to have the COVID vaccine, and right now, COVID is still our major problem.

The incidence of shingles has gone up but the proportion of older people who have taken the Shingles Vaccine has gone down from something like 70% to something like 30%. That’s more likely to cause an increase in the number of cases than any link with the COVID vaccine, although Elegran’s explanation about stress looks plausible too.

MY DH got shingles although he was fit and healthy too; he’d never had it before, that’s not unusual. He hot footed it to the GP who told him not to take any medication except paracetamol if he needed it. Not everyone who gets shingles gets anti-virals prescribed and its irresponsible to tell people on a social media site they should get them, because we know nothing about each others’ health status or circumstances.

“I believe” isn’t adequate when it comes to health; it has to be based on fact, not belief.

Before I was eligible for having the shingle vaccine I ate my doctor how I could protect myself from it. She said just get out and about and expose yourself to viruses. This was years ago and, of course, what has happened during covid is that many of us haven’t been exposed to viruses. Both my mum and my friend were suffering from a lot of stress prior to coming down with it. I feel awful about m mum because it was man years ago and I didn’t realise how poorly she must have been.

You can't get Shingles without first having chickenpox, and recovering from it. The virus stays in your system but can be stirred up again by stress (which is why people sometimes develop it after suffering from other illnesses or accidents) . Some people are stressed by getting the Covid vaccine, and their system reacts by reactivating the shingles.

That is the connection when it happens, which is not all that often. It is not any special feature of the Covid vaccine.

A friend of the family who has always been very active and fit came down with shingles recently, never having had it before. I believe there has been an increase in cases - and there have been adverts on the TV suggesting that people get vaccinated for shingles.

I believe there is a link between the vaccine and shingles, and possibly other conditions too.

Some of the 54 cases also had known risk factors for herpes zoster (shingles), a very small trial with no conclusive outcome.

Strictly speaking the covid v. Doesn't work in the same way as tradition vaccines.

I'm not old enough to get the shingles vac through the NHS, although my husband is and will be, next week.

Conclusion: We could not establish definite link but there may be possible association between COVID-19 vaccine and shingles. Large-scale studies may help to understand the cause-effect relationship.

Nothing about the Covid vaccine affecting immunity to the chicken pox virus.

Some light reading. Thinking that this may be under reported. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34719084/

MayBee70

volver. Can I just say I think it’s irresponsible of you to try to stop people taking shingles seriously.

Can I say it's irresponsible to tell people to take a medicine that they might to be suited to?

Namsnanny

I'm not being rude volver when I say I wont be answering you. Your welcome to put your opinions to me in a pm and I will answer you.
But I dont want to derail this thread or any other with a tit for tat spat
(I'm a poet and I didnt know it)

Fair enough.

If we are having a thread about how Covid may impact shingles, and someone says that the Covid vaccine might make weaken immunity to the chicken pox virus, then I expect some kind of proof of that claim or hypothesis based on tests. Because someone might see that claim and decide on the strength of that, not to have the Covid vaccine.

But you are, of course, entirely entitled not to give any scientific proof on a Social Media site. Then we'll just have to think it's based entirely on conjecture.

I don't generally do PMs when public health is being discussed.

volver. Can I just say I think it’s irresponsible of you to try to stop people taking shingles seriously.

You only get shingles if you've previously had chickenpox. Virus lies dormant for years but can be reactivated by eg stress. Getting Covid, or even a vaccine is a type of stress to the body so in some people could be a trigger for shingles.

No direct connection and certainly not a reason to avoid being vaccinated against Covid. However, if shingles vaccine is offered- take it!

Your = you're

I'm not being rude volver when I say I wont be answering you. Your welcome to put your opinions to me in a pm and I will answer you.
But I dont want to derail this thread or any other with a tit for tat spat
(I'm a poet and I didnt know it)

volver

Thanks Mapleleaf

My husband had shingles a few months ago. No anti virals, nothing. Under doctor's orders. He got better.

My mum died soon afterwards. My friend developed Alzheimer’s*And died within 2 years.
*and research has shown a link between shingles and Alzheimer’s albeit a small one. I didn’t want to actually say that because I didn’t want to scare people. But after what happened to my friend I made sure I had a shingles vaccine. At the doctors we kept aciclovir on the shelf at all times even though it was very expensive so our patients could start the course immediately.

The vaccine weakens immunity?

Really?

Weakens immunity all round.

You should look up and read some of the studies from Australia, Italy, Israel.

I will. Got any links? Do they say that the COVID vaccine weakens immunity to the chicken pox virus?

Thanks Mapleleaf

My husband had shingles a few months ago. No anti virals, nothing. Under doctor's orders. He got better.

volver

^Perhaps the Covid vaccine weakens immunity to the chicken pox virus ?^

Come on now. And how would that work then? Any ideas?

Some days I really try to be nice then something like this comes up. This is how fake news starts.

You should look up and read some of the studies from Austrailia, Italy, Israel.

nanna8

Interesting thought because they have really been pushing the shingles vaccine here over the last few months. Perhaps the Covid vaccine weakens immunity to the chicken pox virus ? Not that they would tell anyone…

That was my first thought. The immune system is so complicated. I hope it doesn’t put anyone off having the shingles vaccine. I, thankfully, have never had shingles but I know people that have and it’s a horrible thing to suffer from. My mum and one of my dearest friends never really got over it. I can only stress what others have said: if you think you may have shingles get aciclovir asap.