In this study, ZOSTAVAX, Merck's vaccine for the prevention of herpes zoster, commonly known as shingles, significantly reduced the risk of developing shingles by nearly 70 percent in adults ages 50 to 59, compared with placebo.

Everyone aged 70 to 79 is eligible for the shingles vaccine. Depending on the type of vaccine you have, you'll have either 1 dose or 2 doses (given between 6 and 12 months apart). Contact your GP surgery if you missed your vaccine.

CDC recommends two doses of recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV, Shingrix) to prevent shingles and related complications in adults 50 years and older. Shingrix is also recommended for adults 19 years and older who have weakened immune systems because of disease or therapy.

As of January 2023, manufacturer GSK reports the list price for the Shingrix vaccine as $366.82 or $183.41 per dose. If you don't have health insurance, your pharmacy may charge more than the list price for the vaccine. According to GoodRx, the average retail price per dose of Shingrix is about $213.

Shingles is a viral infection that causes a painful rash. Shingles can occur anywhere on your body. It typically looks like a single stripe of blisters that wraps around the left side or the right side of your torso. Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus - the same virus that causes chickenpox.

Two vaccines are licensed and recommended to prevent shingles in the U.S.. Zoster vaccine live (ZVL, Zostavax) has been in use since 2006. Recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV, Shingrix), has been in use since 2017 and is recommended by ACIP as the preferred shingles vaccine.

Coverage varies state by state. Medicaid covers SHINGRIX for patients 50 years and older in two-thirds of states (those that expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act). WHERE SHOULD I GET SHINGRIX?

Who Should Get Shingrix? Adults 50 years and older should get two doses of Shingrix, separated by 2 to 6 months. Adults 19 years and older who have or will have weakened immune systems because of disease or therapy should also get two doses of Shingrix.

Shingles is a painful, usually itchy, rash that develops on one side of the face or body. The rash consists of blisters that typically scab over in 7 to 10 days and fully clear up within 2 to 4 weeks.

What causes shingles? Shingles is caused by varicella zoster virus (VZV), the same virus that causes chickenpox. After a person recovers from chickenpox, the virus stays dormant (inactive) in the body. This virus can reactivate years later, causing shingles.

Adults 50 years and older should get two doses of Shingrix, separated by 2 to 6 months. Adults 19 years and older who have or will have weakened immune systems because of disease or therapy should also get two doses of Shingrix.