Shingles vaccine extended to over-50s with weakened immune system

Up to one million further people in England will be eligible for a vaccine against shingles on the NHS from September of this year.

Anyone over the age of 65 will now be eligible, as well as those over 50 with a severely weakened immune system – it was previously only available to over-70s.

Shingles occurs when the chicken pox virus already in the body is reawakened, usually by stress, illness or getting older.  It cannot be caught from someone else.  Risks of serious symptoms are particularly high in people who are immune-suppressed or extremely vulnerable, with conditions such as blood cancer.

Steve Russell, NHS England’s national director of vaccinations and screening, said “Please do not put off getting the jab if you are eligible”.

Dr Mary Ramsay, director of immunisation at the UK Health Security Agency, said “Two doses of vaccine are highly effective in reducing your risk of getting shingles, or if you do develop shingles, reducing the severity of your symptoms.”

NHS England have said that by September 2028, even more people would be able to get the vaccine, with anyone aged 60 and over being offered the shingles jab.

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Posted by Karen Motley, Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (jacquelinevance@chadlaw.co.uk), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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