Explainer: how do you get shingles and who should be vaccinated against it?
- Written by Kristine Macartney, Associate Professor, Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Sydney
The shingles or zoster vaccine (Zostavax) is made from a live but weakened form of the varicella-zoster virus.Image Point Fr/ShutterstockFrom November 1, the shingles (herpes zoster) vaccine will be available for free to people aged 70 to 79 years. Shingles is a dreaded and common disease of the elderly; let’s look at how and why you get it,...
