Staying Healthy
Two-dose shingles vaccine is still highly effective after four years
In the journals
- Reviewed by Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
The CDC recommends adults ages 50 and older get two doses of the recombinant zoster vaccine (Shingrix), with the doses separated by two to six months, to prevent shingles. But how long can it offer protection? According to a study involving almost two million people, published online Jan. 9, 2024, by Annals of Internal Medicine, the two-dose vaccine was still 73% effective four years later. However, in those adults who received only one dose instead of the recommended two, the effectiveness dropped rapidly after the first year and only offered 52% protection against shingles after three years.
These results reinforced the importance of getting the second dose. But even if you miss the usual two-to-six-month window for the booster, it may not be too late. The researchers also found that the vaccine's effectiveness did not suffer if the second dose was delayed beyond six months.
The vaccine also was slightly more effective in people who got the shots before age 65 compared with those who were vaccinated later in life.
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About the Author
Matthew Solan, Executive Editor, Harvard Men's Health Watch
About the Reviewer
Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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