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Shingles Vaccine
About Shingles Vaccine
A vaccine against herpes zoster or shingles, a painful rash caused by reactivation of the chickenpox virus. The newer Shingrix vaccine is over 90 percent effective in trials and is given to older adults as part of national immunisation schedules, which vary by country. Unlike the older Zostavax live vaccine, Shingrix is a recombinant subunit vaccine. Shingles can cause postherpetic neuralgia, severe chronic pain lasting months or years. The vaccine dramatically reduces this risk. Because it is not live, Shingrix can also be used in immunocompromised adults.
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