New shingles vaccine offered in Glynn, Camden Counties

Health departments in Georgia, including those in Glynn and Camden Counties, are offering a new shingle vaccine known as Shingrix.

The vaccine protects against postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), a severe pain that can occur at the site of the shingles rash even after the rash clears up. The vaccine was recommended for adults ages 60 and older by the the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

According to the CDC: 

•  Shingrix can be given in two doses separated by two or six months
•  Two doses of Shingrix are highly effective in preventing shingles; more than 90 percent
•  One in every three people in the United States will get shingles
•  Risk of shingles increases with age
•  There is no maximum age for the vaccine

For more information about the Shingrix vaccine, visit the CDC's website