Tag: shingles vaccine

The Shingles Vaccine Shortage

Shingrix became the second shingles vaccine to be licensed in the United States, becoming the preferred shingles vaccine in 2017.

“Shingrix provides strong protection against shingles and PHN. Two doses of Shingrix is more than 90% effective at preventing shingles and PHN. Protection stays above 85% for at least the first four years after you get vaccinated.”

What Everyone Should Know about Shingles Vaccine

The first, Zostavax, was licensed in 2006.

Both are for older adults.

The Shingles Vaccine Shortage

Having a new and better shingles vaccine is good!

High levels of demand for shingles vaccine has lead to shortages and Shingrix manufacturing facilities are already at maximum capacity.
High levels of demand for shingles vaccine has lead to shortages and Shingrix manufacturing facilities are already at maximum capacity.

Not being able to actually get the vaccine and get vaccinated and protected isn’t so good. There has been a shortage of the vaccine due to high levels of demand since last year.

“Recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) is recommended for the prevention of herpes zoster and related complications for immunocompetent adults aged ≥50 years.”

Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices for Use of Herpes Zoster Vaccines

Fortunately, we will likely see more doses of the vaccine available this year and everyone will eventually be able to get vaccinated. In addition to your doctor or favorite pharmacy, the Shingrix Vaccine Locator might help you find a dose until the shortage is over.

More on the Shingles Vaccine Shortage

How Do You Get Caught up If You Have Never Been Vaccinated?

Why would someone have never gotten any vaccines and need to catch up?

Getting caught up on your vaccines is easy.
Getting caught up on your vaccines is easy.

The usual story is that a child’s vaccines were delayed or skipped for some reason, typically over fears of anti-vaccine propaganda.

You can always get caught up though, right?

Well, not always…

Tragically, kids can get sick and catch these vaccine-preventable diseases before they have time to get vaccinated and protected. You can wait too long to get vaccinated!

How Do You Get Caught up If You Have Never Been Vaccinated?

That’s why it is important to get caught up as soon as possible.

How does that work?

The first step is figuring out which vaccines you need, considering that:

  • rotavirus vaccines are only given up to age 9-months
  • Hib and Prevnar are typically only given up to age 5-years, unless someone has specific conditions that put them at high risk for disease, although Prevnar becomes routine again at age 65-years
  • the polio vaccine is typically only given up to age 18-years
  • the meningococcal vaccines (MenACWY and MenB) are routinely given to teens and young adults through age 16 to 23-years, but older high-risk adults can also be vaccinated if necessary
  • the HPV vaccines are routinely given up to age 26-years, although they are FDA approved to be given through age 45 years
  • hepatitis A vaccines are routinely given to children and teens, but are recommended for high-risk adults, including those who travel out of the country or just want to be protected
  • hepatitis B vaccines are routinely given to children and teens, but are recommended for high-risk adults, including those who travel out of the country or just want to be protected
  • the Pneumovax (PPSV23) and shingles vaccines are given to seniors
  • if you already had a natural case of chicken pox, while you won’t need to be vaccinated, some folks might need a varicella titer to confirm that they are immune

So, depending on your age when you are starting your catch-up, there may be some vaccines that you don’t need anymore.

Still, unless you have a contraindication, you will likely at least need:

  • a yearly flu vaccine
  • 1 to 2 doses (high risk groups) of MMR
  • 2 doses of the chicken pox vaccine (Varivax)
  • 1 dose of Tdap, followed by 2 doses of Td

What’s next?

Once you have an idea of which vaccines you need, you should schedule an appointment with your health care provider and get vaccinated and protected.

A local pharmacy or health department are other places that might offer vaccines to older teens and adults.

More on Getting Caught up on Vaccines

Can You Still Get Shingles After Having the Chicken Pox Vaccine?

It is very easy to get confused when thinking or talking about chicken pox and shingles.

Remembering a few things should help though:

  • shingles (herpes zoster) is a reactivation of chicken pox (varicella zoster) – since they are caused by the same virus, you had to have been exposed to the chicken pox virus (varicella zoster virus) to later get shingles
  • exposure to the chicken pox virus can come from a natural chicken pox infection or from getting vaccinated against chicken pox, as it is a live, attenuated vaccine (Varivax)

So no, getting the chicken pox vaccine will not prevent you from later getting shingles. The shingles vaccine is a different vaccine that is given to seniors to help prevent them from getting shingles.

Can You Still Get Shingles After Having the Chicken Pox Vaccine?

Have you ever heard of a child vaccinated against chicken pox getting shingles? It can happen. It’s not a vaccine injury.

Remember that you can get shingles at any age – it is not just a disease of senior citizens. Even preschools or teens can get shingles, with the risk increasing with age.

Although rare, even infants can develop shingles, most commonly if their mothers had a chicken pox infection while pregnant.
Although rare, even infants can develop shingles, most commonly if their mothers had a chicken pox infection while pregnant. Photo by Kaoutar Zinelabidine et al.

Although the chicken pox vaccine won’t prevent you from getting shingles, it does work well to prevent you from getting chicken pox.

And it is thought that getting vaccinated and protected against chicken pox will decrease your risk of later getting shingles, even before you ever get the shingles vaccine.

“In the early post-varicella vaccination period, incidence rates of medically attended herpes zoster did not increase for the overall population and decreased moderately for children 9 years and younger, the age group targeted for varicella vaccination.”

Tanuseputro et al on Population-based incidence of herpes zoster after introduction of a publicly funded varicella vaccination program

No chicken pox and a lower risk of shingles?

I’m glad my kids are fully vaccinated!

More on Shingles and the Chicken Pox Vaccine

What Are the Changes in the 2018 Immunization Schedules?

As they do every year, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) just released an updated immunization schedule.

The 2018 immunization schedule didn't bring any changes for most kids.
The 2018 immunization schedule doesn’t bring any changes for most kids.

And just like in most other recent years, there were few big changes or announcements.

That means that most kids won’t need any extra shots when they go to their next well check up with their pediatrician or to start school.

What Are the Changes in the 2018 Immunization Schedules?

There are some changes though…

  • A third dose of MMR is now recommended for some people during outbreaks of mumps.
  • MenHibrix was removed from the schedule, which was expected, as this combination meningococcal vaccine for high risk kids was discontinued in 2016 because of low demand. Fortunately, this doesn’t mean that any kids will be left unprotected. They can just get one of the other meningococcal vaccines if they need it, with a separate Hib vaccine, just like other infants.
  • Menomune was removed from the schedule, which was expected, as this older meningococcal vaccine was discontinued in 2017, as it was replaced with the newer meningococcal conjugate vaccines (Menactra and Menveo).
  • Shingrix, the new recombinant shingles vaccine is added to the schedule for adults aged 50 or older. They should get 2 doses 2 to 6 months apart, even if they have had shingles in the past or have had the older Zostavax already. And Shingrix becomes the preferred shingles vaccine for those who are at least 60 years old.

The other changes are to the formatting of the schedule and schedule footnotes.

“The schedule footnotes are presented in a new simplified format. The goal was to remove unnecessary text while preserving all pertinent information and maintaining clarity. This was accomplished by a transition from complete sentences to bullets, removal of unnecessary or redundant language, and formatting changes.”

CDC on Changes to This Year’s Schedule

So, unless your child is in a mumps outbreak, the new immunization schedule shouldn’t mean any extra vaccines.

What to Know About the 2018 Immunization Schedule

The 2018 immunization schedule from the CDC, AAP, ACOG, and AAFP incorporates the latest recommendations from the ACIP, including that folks in a mumps outbreak might need a third dose of MMR.

More on the 2018 Immunization Schedule