Shingles

Shingles is caused by the same virus as chickenpox – the herpes-zoster virus. Once you have the virus, it remains in your body, and can become active again in later life where it develops into shingles.

Of the 95% of adults who’ve had chickenpox, around a quarter will go on to develop shingles* – and it’s more likely to happen as you get older. It can be reactivated when your immune system weakens due to increasing age, stress, or certain conditions and treatments e.g. cancer or HIV.

Shingles can be very painful and the older you are, the worse it can be. Although most people fully recover from shingles, some can be left with long-term nerve pain that continues for months or even years after the blisters and rash have healed – this is called post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN). The older you are, the higher the chance of developing PHN as a result of shingles.

2 doses of the Shingrix vaccine are required and are given 2 months apart. To order the vaccine and to book in for it please contact the surgery.

The shingles vaccine is not covered by Medical Card and costs €450 for Medical Card, GP Visit Card and private patients alike.

Chickenpox

Chickenpox is a common, infectious disease. It is caused by a virus called varicella zoster. It mostly affects children under the age of 10, but you can get it at any age. There is no cure for chickenpox. The virus usually clears up by itself without any treatment.

Try and avoid coming into contact with other people if you or your child have chickenpox. Especially avoid coming into contact with pregnant women and babies.

You can get a vaccine to protect you from chickenpox. The vaccine prevents chickenpox in 85% of immunised children, but provides 97% protection against severe disease. Therefore, if an immunised child does catch the virus, they are far less likely to have serious complications.

If a person with no immunity to the virus is exposed to someone with chickenpox or shingles, they are likely to get infected because the virus is so contagious. Giving the vaccine within 3 to 5 days after exposure can help to prevent the infection.

The Chicken Pox Vaccine not part of routine childhood vaccination and is a private vaccine. It can be given to anyone over 12 months old.

Most people who are vaccinated with 2 doses of varicella vaccine will be protected for life.

An €80 fee is payable at the time of booking for this vaccine, this covers the prescription for the vaccine and for the 2 vaccine doses to be administered 4 weeks apart with one of our nurses.