Vaccines offered at Walgreens vary by state, age and health conditions. Talk to your local pharmacist about availability.
Quick facts Recommended for Ages 50+ or immunocompromised adults 2 doses 2–6 months apart (1–2 months apart for immunocompromised adults)Shingles (herpes zoster) is a reactivation of the virus that causes chickenpox, varicella zoster virus. It causes a painful skin rash that appears as a stripe of blisters. Once you’ve had chickenpox, the virus remains in your body in a dormant or inactive stage. If the virus becomes active again you may get shingles. Age, increased stress and problems with the immune system may increase your chances of getting shingles.
The shingles rash usually occurs on one side of the body, in a line along a nerve pathway. The rash begins as a tingling in the area then forms a cluster of small red spots that often blister. Shingles rashes can last 2–4 weeks, but in some people the nerve pain, also called postherpetic neuralgia, can last for months or even years. For most people, the pain associated with the rash lessens as it heals. Other symptoms of shingles can include fever, headache, chills and upset stomach. In some people, severe complications include pneumonia, blindness, hearing problems, brain inflammation and even death.
You cannot catch shingles from another person with shingles; however, a person who has never had chickenpox or been vaccinated for chickenpox could get chickenpox from someone with shingles.
Shingles is far more common in people ages 50+. At least 1 million people per year in the United States get shingles. 1 in 3 adults will develop shingles in their lifetime. While most people will only get shingles once, a small percentage may get it more than once.
The shingles vaccine has been proven as the most effective method to reduce the risk of developing shingles. It can also reduce complications such as long-term nerve pain caused by shingles. The FDA-approved Shingrix® vaccine is currently used for the prevention of shingles. According to the CDC, two doses of Shingrix is more than 90% effective at preventing shingles and PHN (the most common complication from shingles).
To learn more about the shingles vaccine from the CDC, visit the CDC website. opens in a new tabThe CDC recommends all healthy adults ages 50+ get 2 doses of Shingrix® (recombinant zoster vaccine or RZV) 2–6 months apart, even if they've previously had shingles or received Zostavax® (zoster vaccine live or ZVL). (You should receive the second dose as soon as possible, but you do not need to restart the vaccine series if more than 6 months has passed.) There is no maximum age for getting Shingrix.
The CDC also recommends that adults who are or will be immunodeficient or immunosuppressed due to disease or therapy receive 2 doses of Shingrix® (recombinant zoster vaccine or RZV) 1–2 months apart opens in a new tab
Immunocompromised individuals are generally at higher risk for shingles and its related complications than immune-competent individuals. Shingles can be life-threatening in severely debilitated or immunocompromised patients.
If you're unsure whether the shingles vaccines is right for you, talk to your pharmacist. You should not get the shingles vaccine if you: • Are allergic to the vaccine or any of its ingredients • Are pregnant or breastfeeding • Have an active episode of shingles (wait until illness is over and symptoms have resolved). • Pain, redness or swelling where the shot was given• Muscle aches, tiredness, fever, shivering, headache and/or stomach discomfort have also been reported after receiving Shingrix®
Side effects typically resolve in 2–3 days. Over-the-counter pain relievers, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, may help ease certain vaccine related symptoms.
Severe allergic reactions are uncommon. Signs and symptoms may occur a few minutes to a few hours after vaccination and include:
• Difficulty breathing or wheezing • Fast heartbeat • Swelling of the face or throat • Serious side effects from this vaccine are rare.If you believe you have a medical emergency, please call 911.
Shingrix package insert. Rixenart, Belgium. GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals. July 2021.
