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Shingles can be very painful and more dangerous than you think – Preventable with Vaccination
The New Shingles Vaccine (RZV) – Shingrix
Get 2 doses of Shingrix within the recommended interval of 2 to 6 months.
· Provides 97% protection against Shingles
· Reduces the risk of Post-Herpetic Neuralgia (PHN) by 91.2%
· Maintains an 89% effectiveness for 10 years
Shingles is caused by varicella-zoster virus (VZV), the same virus that causes chickenpox. Shingles is also known as herpes zoster.
Once a person has chickenpox, the virus stays in their body. The virus can reactivate later in life and cause shingles. Over 90% of adults aged 50 and older already carry the virus. The reason for shingles is unclear. It may be due to lowered immunity to infections as people get older. Shingles is more common in older adults and in people who have weakened immune systems.
Shingles can cause a painful rash illness, which sometimes leads to long-term nerve pain.
Older adults are at a greater risk of developing Shingles as the immune decreases, and the symptoms can be severe.
• Shingles can lead to serious complications involving the eye, including vision loss.
• Very rarely, shingles can also lead to:
o Infection of the lung (pneumonia)
o Hearing problems
o Brain inflammation (encephalitis)
o Death
SYMPTOMS
Shingles symptoms usually affect a section on one side of the body. These symptoms may include:
• Pain, burning or tingling
• Sensitivity to touch
• A red rash that begins a few days after the pain
• Fluid-filled blisters that break open and crust over
• Itching
Some people also experience:
• Fever
• Headache
• Sensitivity to light
• Fatigue
Pain is usually the first symptom of shingles. For some people, the pain can be intense. Depending on the location of the pain, it can sometimes be mistaken for problems with the heart, lungs or kidneys. Some people experience shingles pain without ever developing the rash.
Most commonly, the shingles rash develops as a stripe of blisters that wraps around either the left or right side of the torso. Sometimes the shingles rash occurs around one eye or on one side of the neck or face.
COMPLICATIONS
Complications from shingles can include:
• Postherpetic neuralgia – The condition when shingles pain continue long after the blisters have cleared.
• Vision loss – Shingles in or around an eye (ophthalmic shingles) can cause painful eye infections that may result in vision loss.
• Neurological problems – Shingles may cause inflammation of the brain (encephalitis), facial paralysis, or problems with hearing or balance.
• Skin infections – If shingles blisters aren’t properly treated, bacterial skin infections may develop.
When to see a doctor
Contact your health care provider as soon as possible if you suspect shingles, especially in the following situations:
• The pain and rash occur near an eye. If left untreated, this infection may lead to permanent eye damage.
• You’re 50 or older. Age increases your risk of complications.
• You or someone in your family has a weakened immune system. This may be due to cancer, medications or chronic illness.
• The rash is widespread and painful.
Are you contagious?
A person with shingles can pass the varicella-zoster virus to anyone who isn’t immune to chickenpox. This usually occurs through direct contact with the open sores of the shingles rash. Once infected, the person will develop chickenpox rather than shingles.
Chickenpox can be dangerous for some people. Until your shingles blisters scab over, you are contagious. Avoid physical contact with anyone who hasn’t yet had chickenpox or the chickenpox vaccine. That includes people with weakened immune systems, pregnant women and newborns.
PREVENTION
Vaccine is the best protection!
Vaccination is highly effective in preventing shingles and potential complications such as nerve pain, skin infections, and eye inflammation.
If you’re 50 or older, get vaccinated
• Vaccine provides strong protection from shingles and long-term nerve pain.
• Get vaccine even if you already had shingles, because you can get the disease more than once.
• Your risk of shingles and complications increases as you age.
• You need 2 doses of vaccine. Get the second dose 2 to 6 months after you get the first dose.
• If you got a shingles vaccine in the past, you still should get vaccinated.
• You may have already got a different shingles vaccine called Zostavax, you are still recommended to get 2 doses of the new zoster vaccine.
Who Should Get Vaccinated?
• Individuals aged 50 and above
• Some people have a greater risk for having shingles and related complications.
This includes people who:
• Have medical conditions that keep their immune systems from working properly, such as certain cancers like leukemia and lymphoma, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection
• Take drugs that keep their immune systems from working properly, such as steroids and drugs given after an organ transplant
Who Should Not Get the vaccine?
You should not get zoster vaccine if you:
• Have ever had a severe allergic reaction to any component of the vaccine or after a dose of Shingrix.
• Currently have shingles.
• Currently are pregnant.
If you have a minor illness, such as a cold, you may get the vaccine. But if you have a moderate or severe illness, with or without fever, you should usually wait until you recover before getting the vaccine.
What Are the Possible Side Effects of Shingles vaccine?
Studies show that vaccine is safe. The temporary side effects while your body create an immune might include a sore arm with mild or moderate pain, redness and swelling, tired, muscle pain, a headache, shivering, fever, stomach pain, or nausea. Symptoms normally go away in about 2 to 3 days.
Special Price for Recombinant Subunit Zoster Vaccine (Shingrix)
1 dose: 7,400 Baht
2 doses: 13,800 Baht
1 March 2026 – 31 December 2026
Protect yourself and your loved ones with the Recombinant Subunit Zoster Vaccine (Shingrix) – available today!
