SHINGLES VACCINATION

Active immunization - prevention of serious diseases and consequential damages

Vaccination against shingles (Zoster) with the vaccine Shingrix® This is a dead vaccine, which is recommended by the STIKO (Permanent Vaccination Commission of the Robert Koch Institute) since December 2018 as a standard vaccine for all persons over the age of 60 years. In addition, the STIKO recommends the vaccine as a so-called indication vaccine for persons ≥50 years with an increased health risk for the occurrence of a herpes zoster due to a basic disease or therapy which leads to an impairment of the immune system. These include u.a. Patients with HIV infection, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, inflammatory bowel disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or bronchial asthma, chronic renal insufficiency and diabetes mellitus.

How is vaccinated?

The vaccine series for the herpes zoster death vaccine consists of two doses of vaccine, which are administered intramuscularly at intervals of at least 2 to a maximum of 6 months.

Is the vaccine safe?

The vaccine with the herpes zoster dead vaccine is safe. In the pivotal studies, there was no signal of serious adverse events or autoimmune disease. However, the herpes zoster dead vaccine is extremely reactogenic. Local reactions (injection site pain, redness, and swelling) and systemic reactions (fever, fatigue, myalgia, and headache) that limit ordinary day-to-day activities occur in about every 10th vaccinated person. However, the vaccination reactions are short-lived and last for 1 to 2 days.