Source: CDC Urges Everyone 50 and Older to Get New Vaccine
It might be time to get vaccinated against shingles if you’re 50 or older.
Folks in this age group — even people who are healthy — should get a new shingles vaccine sold under the name Shingrix, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC’s vaccine recommendations include a shingles vaccine for adults age 50 and older. Previously, the CDC specified a different shingles vaccine, Zostavax, as the go-to prevention for shingles. However, that recommendation only applied to folks 60 and older. The CDC still recommends Zostavax as an effective treatment for shingles, but now says Shingrix is the better option for most people.
The article goes on to say that Shingrix should be available in April. It’s much more effective than Zostavax…
The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices reports that clinical trials found the vaccine is more than 90 percent effective in preventing shingles in folks age 50 and older. Zostavax, by contrast, is anywhere from 38 percent to 70 percent effective, depending on age.
If you’ve ever spoken with anyone that had shingles, you know it’s time to get in line for your Shingrix vaccination.