Anyone like me and at 66 have to wait until 70 for a shingles vacination?

nanaK54

Madness isn't it.
I am 69 so only one year to wait, so I am luckier than some.

Me too! I had shingles a few years ago and asked about the jab after I recovered. I was told I had to wait 'til 70. Usually when they move the goalposts they move it gradually so bring down to 69 then 68 etc until they reach the age they want to achieve. Doing it the way they have is non-sensical! I certainly don't want to get it again - it was very unpleasant. It also caused a lot of disruption for a lot of people as I was supposed to be going on a school trip abroad so had to be replaced at very short notice!

The NHS offers both vaccines. The website states that you’ll be advised which is better for you.

Some people are saying they got one dose (NHS), others that they got 2 doses. The private shingles vaccine is 2 doses and called Shingrix. The NHS one is 1 dose. Shingrix is a much better vaccine but it is expensive. I had the Shingrix about 5 years ago, as I’ve had shingles twice, so wanted good protection. Not sure if I’ll bother with the NHSone.

It looks like I shall be eligible at 69.5-70. Dh - who is a
3 years younger than me will be 64.5-65 so will get his before me.

Even though eligible as a 65 year old I have just been told firmly by my surgery that they are not vaccinating anyone before they are 70 and I will have to wait for a letter in five years time to be invited. Very misleading advertising campaign. Obviously each surgery will make the decision for themselves.

I have been lucky to have mine, I was 65 on 7th September and the guidelines are that you have to turn 65yrs after 1/9/2023.

Very confusing and ridiculous.

Oops ..meant GALL STONES obviously!

I'm 73 and never been offered the shingles vaccine. I wish I had because I had a really bad dose of shingles a few years ago. One of the most painful things ever - up there with hall stones, childbirth etc. In my opinion. So if you're offered the vaccination - go for it.

I don’t know who dreams up these new‘systems’ of administering vaccines, but they need a good talking to!!!
I turned 66 in February so just got state pension ( waspi) and knowing how my sister suffered with shingles when she was about my age I decided to enquire about the jab.
I couldn’t believe it when they tried to explain this new system and to be fair the nursing staff and receptionists didn’t understand it either. As someone has said already why don’t they just pick an age like 68 for eg and say anyone over that age can have it? Regardless of what month you were born etc. its a ridiculous situation.

The NHS explainer page (mind you I just ended up more confused - thought I'd had it but it turns out there are 2 doses,,, ) www.gov.uk/government/publications/shingles-vaccination-why-you-are-being-asked-to-wait/why-you-may-have-to-wait-for-your-shingles-vaccine#:~:text=your%2Dshingles%2Dvaccine-,Shingles%20vaccination%20programme,offered%20vaccination%20(in%202028).

My husband was 65 in July but is ineligible because only those aged 65 whose birthdays are from September 1st onwards can get it. When the original vaccine was brought in for 70 year olds came in, my mother missed out by about six months and didn’t get it until she was nearly 80

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202311/medium-930524-img-20231116-132224-hdr.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202311/medium-829667-img-20231116-131935-hdr-edit-1700141306435.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202311/medium-154300-img-20231116-130729-hdr-edit-1700141205457.jpg

I'm currently re-reading Greek Myths by Robert Graves (1955) so if you're unsure who Sisyphus was (very relevant post by welbeck near the beginning of this thread), here's some info from the book. It's a good read, having very short passages about individual Greek gods, heroes and villains, so you don't have to read whole chapters before you can put it down! The gods and others, Sisyphus included, do an awful lot of seducing and ravishing of virgins, so be warned, but he doesn't make that detailed or sensational!

All this angst being expressed about shingles vaccination will be causing a shingles epidemic! If you've had chickenpox, stress is one of the triggers that can cause shingles. Deep breaths....and relax.

My husband was 65 on 25th August but will have to wait until he’s 70. If he had been born a week later, he’d have been eligible! I’ve just had my 63rd birthday so I will get the jab 3 years before he does despite being two years younger than him! Doesn’t make sense. If it is down to cost and availability they should vaccinate all 69 year olds first and bring it down to 65 gradually.

greenlady102

cc

I just looked at the Boots site and they seem to think that you need two doses - odd since the NHS only give you one? I don't understand why it is so expensive either.
They're talking about giving children the chicken pox vaccine now and I've always understook that you only get shingles if you've had chicken pox, so not sure if the CP vaccine would mean you could get shingles?
I also had shingles years ago and had been trying for years to be vaccinated but they do certainly have weird rules about age. Finally had it last year aged 70. None of this makes sense to me really, it's always seemed to make more sense to vaccinate anybody who was willing.

www.pulsetoday.co.uk/news/clinical-areas/paediatrics/jcvi-recommends-chickenpox-vaccine-for-all-children/#:~:text=The%20Joint%20Committee%20on%20Vaccination,and%2018%20months%20of%20age.

Interesting link, thank you.
I had chicken pox as a child, my four children caught it just after I'd had my last baby and I had shingles at the same time, presumably because I was immunosupressed. The link suggests that chicken pox can be serious for young babies, but mine (breast fed) had just one tiny spot and was not ill at all. She's never caught it again so we assume she really did have it.

It makes no sense to me, given that shingles is so debilitating. Why don’t they just give it to everyone? Will the chicken pox vaccine for children that they’re now talking about prevent people from getting shingles in later life?

Zostavax ia one jab...Shingrix is 2 with a gap of a few months between the 2.

maddyone

Nobody is waiting longer for their shingles vaccine. It has traditionally been given at 70 but the government is bringing the time the vaccine is given forward, to 65. But gradually.

Tough if you're 66 though!

MarianNicholson

The NHS adds one year at a time. They could say "everyone from 69" this year and then next year issue new 'rules' saying eveyrone "from 68". But they consider it easier to say "as you reach 65" for five years and then in 2028 they will advertise "as you reach 60".
Why one year at a time? Guesswork: lack of supplies (only one manufacturer is allowed to make Shingrix); don't flood GPs and, yes, as mentioned, spreads the cost. The new Shingrix is about 4 times more expensive than the older Zostavax.

It would make more sense to me if they went for the older age group first though.
As regards the research trial the "over 50" element is interesting, there must be chunks of the age range who have been vaccinated relatively recently so they may not get an even age spread. Or maybe it is to test the group to see how long immunity lasts? I think someone suggested it was seven years, so the five year immunisation versus a placebo would give them some idea.

Nobody is waiting longer for their shingles vaccine. It has traditionally been given at 70 but the government is bringing the time the vaccine is given forward, to 65. But gradually.

My surgery nurse produced a chart saying it is calculated on your actual birthday. She said it was a ridiculously complicated way of calculating when you are eligible. I will be 3 moths off my 70th birthday. Shingles can be an awful disease & you would think the price of vaccinating would be much less than treating anyone who gets it?

Although my gp has written a prescription, in France it is not available at the pharmacy, unless I pay for it privately.

Anyone else as cynical as I am at 67 yrs, thinking it's no coincidence that those of us having to wait longer also had to wait longer for our pensions? Waspi women being punished for trying to kick up a fuss about lack of info regarding the delay of pensions? Not all Waspi of course, but a significant number.

Additionally I waited until this year when I reached 70. I wish people would stop complaining and be glad they will be offered a vaccine in due course.