topic Shingles Vaccine in General Help

Shingles Vaccine

WCE1999 — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 14:19:30 GMT

I was reading your article about the Shingles vaccine. To begin with, I am NOT an anti vaccine person. I fully trust and believe in vaccines. I had the new vaccine in mid 2018. Both injections. I also had the old vaccine when I turned 50. So plenty of shots. While traveling last September I came down with Shingles on my face that went into my eye. It has been very bad. Since that time I have met two other people who also had the shot about the same time, both also got Shingles, one worse than me. The shot may be 97% efficient initially but I do not believe it is that efficient forever. I have friends who think they are safe because they got the shot eight years ago. I was told that new vaccines are not typically tested to see if a booster is required until ten years after the vaccine is released. I did see a study on line that said after four years the vaccine was less than 50% effective. This topic needs more discussion. Maybe some investigative work from AARP would be helpful in raising appropriate awareness. I now have issues that may be around for the rest of my life. Do I believe in the vaccine? Yes. Do I believe it is 97% effective forever. NO! I'm living proof of that.

Re: Shingles Vaccine

SummerOnTheWay1 — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 14:30:49 GMT

[6/5/26] @WCE1999 , thank you for posting this. Yes, at age 68 this year - I thought the shot I had (I think at age 65?) would "protect" me.

But I am "guessing" like with the Flu Shot & COVID vaccines (which I get), NOTHING is "guaranteed" to work (at all or forever?).

But I "personally" will CONTINUE to get them as I am too old to be dealing with MORE "health" issues that the Flu & COVID can bring my way.

Living alone and faraway from family does NOT help = would have NO one to take care of me.

Hopefully your post will get AARP's attention in the department that CAN help.

Re: Shingles Vaccine

GailL1 — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 23:03:37 GMT

@WCE1999

The effectiveness of any vaccine depends on your immune system.

I like you, have had the Zostavax and the (2) dose of Shingrix. To be more protected, if they advise another one or a different type - I will get it. Shingles is wicked as you seem to know. It might have been much worse if you had not had some protection.

It does wain after 7-years in those over 70 so we probably will have to have another round.

I don’t remember anybody ever saying that it was a forever vaccine - which ones are?????

From the CDC

Shingrix provides strong protection against shingles and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), the most common shingles complication.

In adults 50 to 69 years old with healthy immune systems—Shingrix was 97% effective in preventing shingles; in adults 70 years and older, Shingrix was 91% effective.
In adults 50 years and older—Shingrix was 91% effective in preventing PHN; in adults 70 years and older, Shingrix was 89% effective.
In adults with weakened immune systems—Shingrix was between 68% and 91% effective in preventing shingles, depending on the condition that affects the immune system.

In people 70 years and older with healthy immune systems, Shingrix immunity remained high for at least 7 years after vaccination.