[the_Watchman]

10 years ago the current vaccine was not available. The old stuff was supposed to be ~30-40% effective (just from my memory). Shingrix, the current vaccine, is supposed to be 90% effective.

My wife and I were vaccinated last year with both shots. None of the shots gave us any adverse reaction.

[morphing libertarian]

thanx

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Thanks for the info about Shingrix. That sent me looking to my immunization records (we have a fantastic clinic with excellent digital records). I had Zoster (Zostavax) Vaccine in 2012. I looked at the CDC site about Shingrix:

Shingrix provides strong protection against shingles and PHN. Two doses of Shingrix is more than 90% effective at preventing shingles and PHN. Protection stays above 85% for at least the first four years after you get vaccinated. Shingrix is the preferred vaccine, over Zostavax® (zoster vaccine live), a shingles vaccine in use since 2006. Zostavax may still be used to prevent shingles in healthy adults 60 years and older. For example, you could use Zostavax if a person is allergic to Shingrix, prefers Zostavax, or requests immediate vaccination and Shingrix is unavailable.

Who Should Get Shingrix?
Healthy adults 50 years and older should get two doses of Shingrix, separated by 2 to 6 months. You should get Shingrix even if in the past you:
* had shingles
* received Zostavax
* are not sure if you had chickenpox There is no maximum age for getting Shingrix.

If you had shingles in the past, you can get Shingrix to help prevent future occurrences of the disease. There is no specific length of time that you need to wait after having shingles before you can receive Shingrix, but generally you should make sure the shingles rash has gone away before getting vaccinated.

You can get Shingrix whether or not you remember having had chickenpox in the past. Studies show that more than 99% of Americans 40 years and older have had chickenpox, even if they don’t remember having the disease. Chickenpox and shingles are related because they are caused by the same virus (varicella zoster virus). After a person recovers from chickenpox, the virus stays dormant (inactive) in the body. It can reactivate years later and cause shingles.

If you had Zostavax in the recent past, you should wait at least eight weeks before getting Shingrix. Talk to your healthcare provider to determine the best time to get Shingrix.

So I'm going to contact my doc and see if he recommends I get Shingrix. I had a very mild, localized case of shingles maybe 20 years ago and it was just awful.