Shingles - Worth the vaccination?

[GarryP]

There are numerous articles/reports/studies about the covid vaccines reactivating herpes (The National Library of Medicine (an official US gov't site), Oxford Academic and Science Direct websites among many, many others), so it would be interesting to learn whether there appears to be any correlation between the time of covid vaccination and the reactivation of herpes in the posters cases.

 

Having said that, I have nothing against shingles vaccines, and having previously had chicken pox I will give it some thought, as it is often a very uncomfortable/painful experience which I wish to avoid.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

The following report summarizing research on the topic says COVID the illness has been clearly shown to raise the risks of developing shingles, especially in older people and those with weakened immune systems.

 

But it says the reports about developing shingles post vaccination are less clear as to whether the vaccine caused it or was merely coincidental.

 

COVID-19 and Shingles: What’s the Connection?

"People who are over 50 years old or have a weakened immune system are likely at higher risk of developing shingles during a COVID-19 illness."

...

"Another very large study found that people older than 50 were 15% more likely to develop shingles if they had COVID illness when compared to people of the same age who didn’t get COVID illness. "

 

VS

 

"The COVID vaccine does not cause shingles — only the varicella zoster virus causes shingles. But it’s not clear if COVID vaccines can trigger shingles to develop.

 

There have been reports of people developing shingles after COVID vaccination. But it’s unclear if these cases are just coincidence or if shingles is a real possible side effect of the COVID vaccine."

 

https://www.goodrx.com/conditions/covid-19/covid-and-shingles

 

Edited 2 hours ago by TallGuyJohninBKK

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

This following report also presents similar findings, clear increased risk of shingles from COVID, mixed findings on the issue of COVID vaccines:

 

Can a COVID-19 Vaccine Increase Your Risk of Shingles?

Updated on February 1, 2024

 

...

"In a 2021 research review, experts examined reports of people getting shingles after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. They found that many people who got shingles after their vaccine had existing factors that can increase the likelihood of developing shingles. These factors include older adulthood, immunological disorders, and cancer.

...

The research into this topic can be conflicting as well. Let’s take a look at two different studies.

 

Increased risk of shingles after COVID-19 vaccination

....

No increased risk of shingles after COVID-19 vaccination

https://www.healthline.com/health/covid-vaccine-herpes#covid-19-and-shingles