Shingles vaccine offered to older people in Mid-Ulster

People aged between 70 and 78 in Mid-Ulster are eligible to receive the shingles vaccine.

That’s the message from the Public Health Agency.

The vaccine will help protect them against this common and painful disease and its complications.

The shingles vaccine will be offered routinely to people who were aged 70 years on 1 September 2016 (born between 2 September 1945 and 1 September 1946 inclusive); and as part of a catch-up programme, also to those aged 78 on 1 September (born between 2 September 1937 and 1 September 1938 inclusive).

Dr Declan Bradley, Consultant in Health Protection at the PHA, says this is the third year the shingles vaccine has been offered.

Just over half of eligible 70 and 78 year-olds got the vaccine last year (51%).

“Shingles is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. After you recover from chickenpox, some of the virus remains inactive in your body and nervous system. It can then reactivate in later life when your immune system is weakened. About a quarter of adults will get shingles at some point in their lives,” he says.

“For many people, shingles can be a mild infection with good recovery. But it can be very painful and is more likely to affect people as they get older. The older people are, the worse it can be, with some people left with pain that can last for years after the rash has healed.

“It is estimated that the vaccination programme will prevent many of the hundreds of cases seen every year in Northern Ireland in people over 70 and reduce the severity of the symptoms for those who do develop the condition.”

The vaccine is given as a single injection in the upper arm but, unlike the flu vaccine, you only need to have it once.

It is estimated that in Northern Ireland around 27,000 people will be eligible for the vaccine this year.

For further information see: www.pha.site/shingles or #StaywellNI