Don’t miss out on your shingles jab
South Lanarkshire locals who are eligible have started to receive appointments for their shingles vaccine.
Shingles is an infection of a nerve and the skin around it. It’s caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which also causes chickenpox.
Those eligible for the vaccine include anyone aged 71 to 79 who has not previously had the vaccine or those with a severely weakened immune system aged 50 or over.
Anyone about to start immunosuppressive therapy aged 50 or over, or who has received a stem cell transplant and are aged 10 or over or who has or is having CAR-T therapy and are aged 19 or over are also eligible.
You are also eligible for the free shingles vaccine if you were aged 70 or 65 on September 1, 2023. This excludes people who were aged 66 to 69 on this date.
Dr Veronica Rainey, associate medical director, South Lanarkshire University Health & Social Care Partnership, said: “Shingles is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox and it can lie inactive after you recover from chickenpox. The virus can become active again in later life when you have a weakened immune system due to age, stress or other illnesses.
“The shingles vaccine helps reduce the risk of shingles developing and, if you do develop it, the vaccine reduces how serious the symptoms will be. Getting your vaccine, when invited, is the best way to help protect yourself against shingles. The vaccine is given as a single dose in the upper arm.”
People who are eligible will receive a letter with details of their vaccination appointment. Appointments will be held in Lanarkshire vaccination centres, set up for delivering the Covid-19 vaccine.
All people aged 70 to 79 are eligible for the shingles vaccine and people aged 78 and 79 are the first to be invited. The wider roll-out for people aged 70 to 77 will take place over the coming weeks.
There is no need to contact your GP practice, as you will be contacted directly with details of your appointment.
Further information on who is eligible is available on the NHS Inform website at https://www. nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/ immunisation/vaccines/shinglesvaccine/