What Adults 50+ Need to Know About Shingles Vaccines
Learn more about shingles vaccines for adults 50+.
Your risk of shingles and its complications increase as you age. Vaccination is the best way to reduce your risk of getting shingles and protect yourself from its potential painful complications.
Who Should Get a Shingles Vaccine?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and leading medical societies recommend that all adults 50 and older get two doses of the shingles vaccine, given 2 to 6 months apart.
You should get vaccinated even if you:
- Have had shingles before
- Received an older shingles vaccines in the past
- Received the chickenpox vaccine
Talk to a healthcare provider if you have questions about the shingles vaccine or when you should get your doses.
What is Shingles?
Shingles, also called herpes zoster, is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. After you recover from chickenpox, the virus remains in your body and can reactivate years later, causing shingles. Shingles typically causes a painful rash and can lead to serious, long-lasting complications.
Shingles can disrupt daily activities and, in some cases, cause complications such as persistent nerve symptoms, vision loss, or problems with hearing or the brain.
You can develop shingles even if you do not remember having chickenpox. More than 99% of people born in the United States before 1980 have had chickenpox, even if they do not remember being sick.
Why Is Shingles More Serious for Adults 50+?
About 1 in 3 people in the U.S. will develop shingles during their lifetime. As you age, your risk of getting shingles and having complications increases. People with weakened immune systems are at an even greater risk.
The most common complication is postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), a long-lasting nerve pain that can continue for months or even years after the shingles rash goes away.
Up to 18% of people who develop shingles experience PHN, and the risk increases with age.
Where Can Adults 50+ Get a Shingles Vaccine?
Shingles vaccines are available at many pharmacies, healthcare provider offices, and health clinics.
You do not need a prescription to get a shingles vaccine. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist and check out our Vaccine Locator to help find a vaccination location near you.
Are Shingles Vaccines Covered by Insurance?
The shingles vaccine is covered at no cost for most adults with Medicaid, Medicare Part D, or private health insurance, including employer-sponsored insurance.
Adults without insurance may be able to access the shingles vaccines at no cost through patient assistance programs or state and local health departments.
