Shingles vaccine, change to eligibility

Sorry, I should have mentioned that this applies to NHS England. The situation may be different in the rest of the UK.

Thanks Maggiemaybe I hadn't heard about that!

I’ve found a link for the details on NHS UK now, so it’s not just England.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/shingles-vaccination/

I’m amazed it’s available privately, although I’m aware of the new changes in the criteria. At the end of 2019, some of DH’s sister’s family went down with shingles and DH’s Consultant told us, in no uncertain terms, not to see her, as the risk was too high. DH was too young (69) for the vaccination and I was there when his Consultant said it was impossible for him to get it, NHS or privately, as he was too young. I’m not saying we’d have welcomed his Sister, but I’d have been more than happy to pay for him to have the vaccination a year sooner.

The guidelines must have changed pretty quickly since then. Boots are using two doses of Shingrix, which is not a live vaccine. Superdrug, on the other hand, are offering the live vaccine (just one jab needed) for £170, though they’re warning that there’s a shortage in some areas. Both are available to people over 50, which does seem very young.

I’ve just looked up the criteria for the Shingles vaccine (not knowing that there had been an eligibility change) and was shocked to see the big gaping hole for those of us who turned 65 this year!

Are you not allowed the vaccine at 65 if you have any underlying health problems ?

I'm 71 and I had mine earlier this year. No problems.

In case not everyone is aware of this - people on immune suppressants that mean live vaccines are not possible can now have a safe new shingles immunisation

Iam64

In case not everyone is aware of this - people on immune suppressants that mean live vaccines are not possible can now have a safe new shingles immunisation

I asked at the surgery and first of all they said they'd not heard of this then said they couldn't offer it.

They suggest it for over 50s in America.

This is from the Mayo Clinic info:

www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/shingles/expert-answers/shingles-vaccine/faq-20057859

Georgesgran

I’m amazed it’s available privately, although I’m aware of the new changes in the criteria. At the end of 2019, some of DH’s sister’s family went down with shingles and DH’s Consultant told us, in no uncertain terms, not to see her, as the risk was too high. DH was too young (69) for the vaccination and I was there when his Consultant said it was impossible for him to get it, NHS or privately, as he was too young. I’m not saying we’d have welcomed his Sister, but I’d have been more than happy to pay for him to have the vaccination a year sooner.

You can't catch shingles. It's the herpes virus reactivated at some point after someone has had chicken pox. Can be sparked if the immune system is under pressure. You can get chicken pox from someone inflected with shingles, especially if you have not been previously infected.

Maybe Georgesgran's family hadn't had chickenpox - and that was the issue.

I was caught in the age trap just when the dgc were passing chicken pox between them so I had the jab at a private doctor's. It cost about £200.

Of course, they changed the criteria about a month later and I could have had it free.

Had mine just after my 70th birthday.

Seems strange that you can’t have it now if you are say, 68, and must wait until 70, but can have it at 65.

Callistemon21

Iam64

In case not everyone is aware of this - people on immune suppressants that mean live vaccines are not possible can now have a safe new shingles immunisation

I asked at the surgery and first of all they said they'd not heard of this then said they couldn't offer it.

My doctor hadn’t heard of it but she’d enquire. The practice nurse phoned a couple of weeks later to say the surgery had a small supply and made my appointment. I only heard about it when a friend who is on the same biological treatment as I am, was told by his American doctor friend.

Callistemon21

Iam64

In case not everyone is aware of this - people on immune suppressants that mean live vaccines are not possible can now have a safe new shingles immunisation

I asked at the surgery and first of all they said they'd not heard of this then said they couldn't offer it.

I had an appointment for vaccination, but when I got there I asked if it was for live vaccine, so I had to go back for two doses of Shingrix. Good job I did ask.

Thankfully my surgery gave me the vaccination when I was in my 50’s. This was after I had had shingles 4 times in 12 months.
However, I had had shingles again (mildly) this year

Calendargirl

Had mine just after my 70th birthday.

Seems strange that you can’t have it now if you are say, 68, and must wait until 70, but can have it at 65.

Seems strange that you can’t have it now if you are say, 68, and must wait until 70, but can have it at 65.

Is this anomaly the result of rationing the vaccine to save money I wonder?

According to the Mayo Clinic "The risk of shingles continues to increase as people age. Some experts estimate that half the people who live to age 85 will get shingles at some point."

I know we can't all have everything catered for on the NHS but considering the burden placed on it by the various diseases and ailments of the older population, I would speculate that it might overall be cheaper to offer the vaccine to everyone over age 65 - there must be an admin cost in filtering the eligible from the non-eligible, too.

I had a prolonged stay in hospital because I was infected with shingles whilst recovering from surgery - fit enough for discharge at the time but ended up being isolated in a side-room, effectively bed-blocking.

Sometimes I'm sure the 'blanket' approach is cheaper in overall costs -as with the State pensions system... pay them to everyone and claw back through taxation, which is obviously cheaper than means-testing with all the admin that involves.

I can’t help thinking it would have been better to progressively lower the age from 70, by vaccinating 69 year old people as well this year, then 67 and 68 year olds next year and so on, rather than additional vaccines being offered to 65 year olds and a gap for 65-69 year olds. It seems illogical.

When the shingles jab was rolled out there was a gap in the eligibility criteria. With DH so dependent on me I couldn’t afford to be ill so had the jab at the local pharmacy for about £180. It seemed a good investment.

Shingles vaccine roll=outs has always thrown up some strange anomolies.
When it wad first rolled out it stated for those aged 70 yrs to 80 yrs BUT each year it was just the bottom year and top year of those age groups. I was one of those who had to wait right until the final year of this roll out to be eligible, so was 75 before I could have it - fortuantely, I did not get shingles n that time.

I have noticed the shingles vaccine has been encouraged through advertising on the Uk tv for the last year or so.
I asked my French gp for one and was given a prescription. I have had this prescription for two years but there is no vaccine available through the health system here. Thinking I would buy it privately I was told there still wasn’t any available and that if it was it would be over well over 100 euros. I see from the above it will be in more but as I said before it is not available here. France, it seems, buys from a place in Germany which has stopped making it for the moment ( over 2 years). Anyone in Germany have any such problems and how much does it cost?

i've no idea if i ever had chicken pox.
i remember one childhood illness with spots, but no doctor was involved, so no diagnosis.
just off school for short time.
think i might have to dip into savings for as many vaccs as poss.
i asked practice nurse about MMR as read you can have the vacc at any age, and it was not invented when i was young, but she just dismissed me as too old.
it all seems a bit hit and miss re nhs sometimes.
anybody any experience of physician associates ?
was reading a concerning thread on MN. www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4870023-physician-associate-should-i-report-yes-or-no?page=1