Shingles vaccine, change to eligibility

mokryna, that seems strange.
could you try other neighbouring countries.
does the script have an expiry date ?

or come to uk of course, where is widely available in pharmacies, for a price.

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

I do know I had chickenpox (mildly) and measles which was worse. I don't remember having mumps but didn't catch it from my DC so presumably I was immune.
I've had shingles, very unpleasant.

However, when I had the youngest DC they asked in hospital if I'd had Rubella and I didn't think so; they gave me the 'jab' there and then! It was pointless really by then.

nearly £500 for both doses of the shingrix, which also seems to be more effective than the zostavax.
what price health, i guess.
eg, this one in Nott(s): singhpharmacy.co.uk/vaccination-prices/

That's all well and good for those who actually turned 65 on the 1st September or turn 65 following that date. If you are over that that now but still under 70 you still have to wait until you're 70 - seems very unfair to me and many others in my age group.

That's absolutely terrible.

Uncross your fingers and get onto your MP and doctor's surgery about it.

My neighbour was told by the GP that at 91 she was too old for the vaccine. At our surgery we only knew of its existence if we spotted the poster at reception and she hadn't seen the doctor for many years. She has since suffered very badly from shingles, and is still in pain 9 months later.

I paid privately for the shingles jab when I was in my 60's as I didn't want to wait for 10 years for the NHS. I have finally had a letter saying I am eligible, and as it only lasts 10 years, might take rhem up on it in a few years' time. They won't give it to you after 80 as apparently your immunity is blown and you won't make the antibodies!

welbeck

mokryna, that seems strange.
could you try other neighbouring countries.
does the script have an expiry date ?

My prescription is for 6 months. I have to go for a face to face visit, for all my medication, she won’t renew otherwise, even during covid, so I am always up to date. Unfortunately, I am not going to the Uk for the next year.
Could someone, who is going for a vaccination, ask where it is made and the name of the manufacturer please, thank you.

are you going to Marbella ? www.atlantic-clinic.es/shingrix-the-new-shingles-vaccine/#:~:text=The%20new%20and%20more%20effective,available%20since%20August%20of%202022.

or the Netherlands ?
www.vaccinatiecentrum.nl/en/prices/

Of course, Iam64, America is often way ahead with this sort of thing.

Like bowel screening (for example) - which starts at 50 as well.

details of licence holders, www.pei.de/EN/medicinal-products/vaccines-human/shingles-herpes-zoster/shingles-herpes-zoster-node.html

I know that Google is yer “best friend” nowdays …but there was a poster promoting this on my GPS practice waiting room some three or more years ago.
It depicted a women of “mature years” trendily clad, smiling, etc etc, yet didn’t seem to want to bother our heads by informing the uninformed, (that’d be me actually) anything about the disease!

glammanana

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

People with underlying problems can have the vaccine from any age. Their doctor just has to approve it.
Over 50s can choose to pay for Zostavax or (2 dose) Shingrix if they wish.

"Could someone, who is going for a vaccination, ask where it is made and the name of the manufacturer please, thank you."
Zostavax (about £140) is made by Sanofi.
Shingrix (about £440) is made by GSK (GlaxoSmithKline)
Zostavax doesn't last as long and is a bit less efficacious.

I agree about writing to your MP. When the first shingles jabs began more than 10 years ago, with the same sort of 'holey' age range, GPs were utterly confused!!! You can see the full information explained clearly on shinglessupport.org.uk/news.
Ask your MP to ask the Health Minister to offer it to everyone over 65 (for now) and in few years, we will ask for everyone over 60, etc.

Shingrix® (recombinant zoster vaccine) is the one to have. Zostavax has been withdrawn in the United States for 3 years now because of serious side-effects.

One side effect of Zostavax that cannot be ignored is the potential to cause death, which is why it was ultimately discontinued. Other side effects it can cause are blindness, chickenpox, nerve damage, and paralysis. It can also cause necrotizing retinitis, meningoencephalitis, brain injury, and even the shingles virus itself (which defeats the purpose of getting the vaccine in the first place). Thus the benefits of the Zostavax vaccine do not outweigh the risks in this case.

Marian
Zostavax reduces the risk of shingles by 51%
Shingrix 90%
I think that's quite a big difference.

Anyone with diseases that affect the immune system or with immunosuppression should not have Zostavax. GPs aren't necessarily aware of this - though that was according to an Australian study.
If you are considering Zostava I'd definitely check it out more thoroughly.

My MP’s response:
I understand you are concerned that 65-year-olds are not offered this vaccine, but this decision was made by the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Authority, not the Government. Eligibility will then be expanded to include those 60 and up by September 2033.

I had shingles when I was 74.
I didn't even know there was a vaccine for
it until I saw a poster on the surgery waiting room wall
I was due a cataract op and that had to be postponed until a later date
I am very annoyed that it wasn't offered or even made aware of it
I had shingles for months and it was very painful.and itchy

This is what I mean - a general lack of information and a reluctance or complete failure in some cases to communicate the importance of shingles awareness.

The NHS does sometimes have a tendency to prioritise some health concerns over others.
It could look like ageism but I think it’s probably more to do with money and time imo.

I wonder what the reasoning was for that decision jaxjacky.

The situation for those between 65 & 70 hasn't technically changed, of course, as they still have to wait.
But they are now being denied treatment which could benefit them and which is being given to younger people.

If you google SHINGLES VACCINATION OVER 65 you will find a petition that anyone can submit to encourage your mp to get this debated in parliament

Not much chance of me having the vaccination at 86 then, apparently.