Why can't younger people have Shingles Vaccine?

[TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince]

I'm 53, so no young whippersnapper. I am on my 3rd attack of shingles. But the vaccine is only available to the older age group. Why can't people like me have it, or is it down to cost?

Both 2 previous attacks led to considerable time off work. Don't know about this attack yet, but l can't have a vaccine. Why!?

I'm pretty sure you can. Just check private clinic online, I don't think it would be harmful to you in any way.

I suppose that younger people are less at risk of severe complications.

You can probably get it done privately.

The NHS only offers vaccines if it is cost effective - I imagine that there are fewer under 70 year olds affected meaning that vaccinating them all would not be effective use of taxpayer money. Your GP surgery might offer it privately - check with the receptionist.

Yeah, l can get it privately, but l can't afford it. Surely it should be available to those of us with recurrent shingles too?

How much does it cost privately?

It's only available routinely to 70 and 78 year olds on the NHS as they are more at risk of severe complications such as post herpetic neuralgia.

Under 70 year olds are less likely to have shingles, and less likely to have complications and persistent attacks.

HOWEVER GPs can offer it to people over 50 that have had recurrent attacks - ask your GP if you can have it privately - they may ask you to get it on a private prescription and the practice nurse could administer it. Or they may be happy to prescribe it for you. You aren't eligible under the NHS programme which is purely age based.

Yes it should be, shingles is vile. I've had it once and I hope to god I never get it again.

for you OP, hope this time it isn't too bad.

Will the vaccine be effective if you've already had shingles?

It is a question I asked my GP many times. My DD who was severely disabled and had a life limiting condition, had Shingles 7 times. Every time they just dished out anti virals and said they couldn't give her the vaccine as she wasn't in the right age group, so the CCG didn't fund it.

bigbluebus the vaccine isn't licensed for under 50s so we can't offer it to children. Which is rubbish when they get repeated attacks 😕

It just seems so pointless not to offer it to people who've had repeated attacks. So far l've missed 8 weeks off work with various outbreaks. And this one has only just started. How is that good for an economy? When one vaccine would stop it all🙄☹️

Well it wouldn't necessarily stop it for good, but it would reduce the longevity and intensity of subsequent attacks.

Were you off work so much because of the pain? I sympathise, my DD1 had shingles when she was 14 and it was awful for her.

It may be worth shopping around for prices to get it done privately, or speak to your GP again.