Are Shingrix And Zostavax The Same
Both Shingrix and Zostavax can decrease the risk of shingles. However, they differ in effectiveness, administration, and side effects. Shingrix is a recombinant zoster vaccine and Zostavax is a live vaccine. Meaning, Shingrix contains an inactivated form of the varicella-zoster virus and Zostavax contains a live, weakened form of the virus. Another difference is that Shingrix is injected into the muscle while Zostavax is injected underneath the skin. Compared to Zostavax, Shingrix is a newer shingles vaccine.
How Live Vaccines Differ
Live attenuated vaccines have been among the most successful preventive interventions in medical history. Due to global vaccination programs, smallpox was declared eradicated in 1980, while polio and measles have been declared eliminated in some parts of the world.
Live viral vaccines are just one type of vaccine. There are other types that do not involve live viruses or bacteria. These include:
- Inactivated vaccines: Also referred to as “killed” or “inactivated whole-cell” vaccines, these involve a dead virus or bacterium that the immune system still regards as harmful, triggering a pathogen-specific immune response. The annual flu shot is one such example of this, as are the rabies and hepatitis A vaccines.
- Toxoid vaccines:These vaccines do not produce immunity to the actual infection. Rather, they contain a chemically altered toxin made by the bacterium or virus that the immune system responds to, preventing the harmful effects of the infection. The tetanus vaccine is one such example of this type.
If A Person Has Allergic Reactions To A Food Or Medication Can They Get The Vaccine
People with severe allergies to a COVID-19 vaccine ingredient or a previous dose of COVID-19 vaccine should not get that type of COVID-19 vaccine . They may be able to get the alternative type after consultation with an allergist or immunologist. Individuals with a known allergy to polysorbate should not get the COVID-19 vaccine made by Johnson & Johnson/Janssen.
People with immediate allergic reactions to an injectable medication can most often get the COVID-19 vaccine however, they should remain at the site where they were vaccinated for 30 minutes of observation, instead of the 15 minutes that the general public is recommended to wait. Anyone with this type of allergy who has questions or concerns should discuss the situation with their healthcare provider to assess the potential risks and benefits of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
People who have had an anaphylactic reaction to anything else are allowed to get the COVID-19 vaccine, but should remain at the site where the injection was given for 30 minutes, instead of the 15 minutes that the general population are recommended to wait.
If a person with history of allergies continues to have concerns about whether or not it is safe to get the COVID-19 vaccine, they should contact their primary care provider or allergist, who has the benefit of their complete medical history and will, therefore, be in the best position to discuss any potential risks and benefits for that individual.
Recommended Reading: Does Cvs Do Tdap Shots
Why A New Shingles Vaccine
Did we need a new shingles vaccine? To answer that question, it helps to have a bit of background on this infection.
Shingles, which is also called herpes zoster, occurs when the chickenpox virus , which is dormant in those whove had the illness, reawakens later in life. Almost all adults older than 40 carry the chickenpox virusand the older we get, the more the risk of getting shingles climbs. According to the CDC, the infection strikes about 1 million people in the U.S. each year and nearly one in three adults will experience a bout of shingles in their lifetime.
The two to four weeks of shingles, marked by symptoms such as a blistery and painful rash on one side of the body, can be difficult enough. But about one in five people with shingles go on to develop postherpetic neuralgia, or PHN, which is nerve pain that can linger for months or even years.
Since 2006, weve had Zostavaxapproved for those between 50 and 59 but recommended by the CDC for adults 60 and olderas the sole bulwark against shingles. Zostavax offers 70 percent protection against shingles for people between 50 and 59 but only 18 percent in people 80 and older, according to the Pink Sheet, which reports on the pharmaceutical industry.
When all ages are taken into consideration, Zostavax cuts the chance of shingles by only 51 percent and the risk of PHN by 67 percent.
Shingles is a big problem with immunocompromised people, Schaffner says.
Ask The Expert: Should You Get The Shingles Vaccine
If you suffered through chickenpox as a child, there is no doubt that you never want to experience that type of discomfort again. While its rare to get chickenpox twice, for many the chickenpox virus reappears years later in the form of another painful disease: shingles. In fact, there are approximately one million new cases of shingles each year. Drs. Alpana Goswami and Janna Lachtchinina, board certified internists, discuss the facts about shingles and the benefits of the shingles vaccine.
Recommended Reading: How Much Is The Tdap Vaccine At Cvs
Shingrix Shingles Vaccine Use For Immunocompromised Adults
During the U.S. CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices meeting on October 20, 2021, Tara Anderson, DVM, MPH, Ph.D., presented: Interpretation of the EtR Regarding Use of RZV in Immunocompromised Adults, Considerations for Use, and Proposed Policy Options. The ACIP’s Recommendation is: Two doses of recombinant zoster vaccine are recommended for adults aged 19 years who are or will be immunodeficient or immunosuppressed due to disease or therapy to prevent herpes zoster and its complications. Additionally, Camille Nelson Kotton, M.D., presented an ACIP herpes zoster overview.
Previously, Camille Nelson Kotton, M.D., Chair, ACIP Herpes Zoster Work Group, presented the Introduction Zoster Vaccines Session on September 29, 2021 Ismael R. Ortega-Sanchez, Ph.D. presented ‘Economics of vaccinating immunocompromised 1949-years-old adults against herpes zoster in the USA Tara Anderson, DVM, MPH, Ph.D. presented ‘Preliminary Evidence to Recommendations Framework Regarding Use of Recombinant Zoster Vaccine in Immunocompromised Adults and Next Steps.’
Can Shingrix Cause A Rash
Its unlikely that a Shingrix injection will cause a rash. But note that an injection site reaction is different from a shingles rash.
A shingles rash, which is caused by shingles itself, is often painful. It commonly appears as blisters around the torso, neck, or face.
People who received Shingrix in didnt report shingles-like rashes.
However,
The Food and Drug Administration approves vaccines such as Shingrix to prevent certain conditions.
Read Also: Tdap Booster Cvs
Is Shingrix Or Zostavax Better
Shingrix is more effective than Zostavax. Shingrix is 97% effective at preventing shingles in adults aged 50 to 69 years old whereas Zostavax is only 70% effective at preventing shingles in the same age group. Shingrix consistently prevents shingles in older adults while the effectiveness of Zostavax decreases with increasing age. However, Shingrix has more systemic side effects than Zostavax.
Uncommon Rare And Very Rare Adverse Events
Uncommon adverse events occur in 0.1% to less than 1% of vaccinees. Rare and very rare adverse events occur, respectively, in 0.01% to less than 0.1% and less than 0.01% of vaccinees.
Both HZ vaccines are safe with serious adverse events reported very rarely in immunocompetent individuals.
Recurrence or exacerbation of herpes zoster ophthalmicus following LZV vaccination has been reported very rarely, involving several cases world-wide following LZV immunization. Following a causality assessment of seven cases of HZO which were temporally associated with the administration of LZV, NACI concluded that there was insufficient evidence to recommend for or against the administration of LZV in individuals with a history of HZO. More evidence is required for further assessment of risk related to HZO recurrence in LZV recipients. At this time, there is insufficient evidence to assess the risk related to HZO recurrence following RZV recipients.
See Contraindications and Precautions if considering vaccinating a person with previous HZO.
For more information, refer to Adverse events following immunization in Part 2 and the product monograph in Health Canada’s Drug Product Database.
You May Like: Pertussis Vaccine Cvs
The New Shingles Vaccine Is Good News For People With Ms
by Patient Advocate
At a recent doctor’s appointment, I learned about a new shingles vaccine. On October 20, 2017, the Food and Drug Administration approved Shingrix for the prevention of shingles in adults aged 50 years and older. Shingrix is a non-live, recombinant subunit vaccine given intramuscularly in two doses, spaced two to six months apart. For full effect, its important to complete the course and receive both injections
Less than a week later, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted that Shingrix is: 1) recommended for healthy adults aged 50 years and older to prevent shingles and related complications, 2) recommended for adults who previously received thecurrent single-shot shingles vaccine to prevent shingles and related complications, and 3) the preferred vaccine for preventing shingles and related complications. These recommendations still need to be formalized before they become official policy.
Live Attenuated Hz Vaccine
In 1965 Edgar Hope-Simpson observed that the incidence and severity of HZ increased with age and hypothesized that the cause was a decline in VZV-specific CMI he also observed that HZ recurrences were relatively rare among immunocompetent persons hypothesizing that the HZ episode induced a reactivation of immunity sufficient to protect against a subsequent episode.
This important discovery led to the development of a vaccine able to enhance the VZV-CMI, reducing the incidence and severity of the disease, useful for subjects with a positive history of varicella.
The development of a live attenuated varicella vaccine opened the way for an HZ vaccine.
A high dose of live attenuated vaccine allows the reactivation of the VZV-CMI and reduces the frequency and severity of HZ. ZVL is similar to the varicella vaccine but has a higher antigen content . Each dose contains a minimum of 19,400 PFU of VZV/OKA strain, when reconstituted.
Preliminary studies have been conducted to establish the safety and immunogenicity of higher doses of OKA vaccine, to select a dose able to increase VZV-CMI with minimal side effects and to verify its safety and efficacy in elderly subjects with common co-morbidities.,,
The pre-licensure RCT showed that ZVL is effective in preventing HZ and PHN.
Several studies have shown the safety and efficacy of ZVL in immunocompetent adults.,
ZVL should be administered as a single dose of 0.65 ml subcutaneously in the deltoid region of the upper arm.
Recommended Reading: Cvs Tdap Vaccine
Could Taking Two Different Vaccines Boost The Effectiveness
Currently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends getting two doses of the same mRNA vaccine unless the supply does not allow for them to get the second dose of the same brand.
People are also recommended to get the same brand for the third dose of mRNA vaccine if they are receiving it because of an immune-compromising condition. However, if they are receiving a second dose following J& J/Janssen or a third dose following mRNA as a booster, they can get a different type if they so choose.
New More Effective Shingles Vaccine Offers Greater Protection
A vaccine against shingles has been available for several years, but a new vaccine promises to offer greater protection and significantly limit the suffering from shingles. Approved by the Food and Drug Administration last October, the Shingrix vaccine provides a 90 percent protection rate for older adults, compared with 50 percent for the previously available Zostavax vaccine. And unlike its predecessor, Shingrix can safely be given to those with compromised immune systems.Close to one-in-three Americans will develop shingles, a rash of itchy blisters similar but more painful than chicken pox. Usually appearing in a swath on the side of the face or torso, shingles feels, as one sufferer described it, like being pressed against a cactus.
The old vaccine is a live vaccine, says Daniel Z. Uslan, MD, an infectious diseases physician and director of the UCLA Antimicrobial Stewardship Program. It makes your body immune by exposing it to a live but weakened shingles virus. The new vaccine is an inactivated recombinant vaccine, meaning there is no live virus in it. Its a much safer vaccine that we can use in patients with weaker immune systems. And those are the people who need the vaccine because theyre most likely to get shingles and have complications from shingles.
Next
Read Also: Does Cvs Do Tetanus Shots
More Common Side Effects
The more common side effects of Shingrix can include:
- pain, redness, and swelling at site of injection*
- headache*
- dizziness or fainting
- flu-like symptoms, including fever, shivering, and tiredness
Most of these side effects may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. If theyre more severe or dont go away, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
* For more information about this side effect, see Side effect details below.
Is It Safe For My Teen To Get The Covid
Cases of myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart, have been reported in a small number of teens after receipt of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine. The condition is continuing to be investigated. Here is what we know to date:
The CDC will continue to monitor the situation related to myocarditis, but for now, there is not a reason to stop vaccinating kids. The American Heart Association has also released a statement encouraging continued vaccination.
Read Also: Cvs Tdap Shot
Shingrix Shingles Vaccine Indication
Shingrix is a non-live vaccine for preventing shingles in adults 50 years and older. If you’re one of the 99% of adults over 50 years old, who have had chickenpox, the virus that causes shingles is inside your body and can reactivate at any time. Shingrix is not used to prevent primary varicella infection .
On June 25, 2021, the CDC’s ACIP meeting reviewed ‘Zoster Vaccines Session: Burden of Herpes Zoster in Immunocompromised Adults’ and GSK’s presentation: ‘Use of Recombinant Zoster Vaccine in Immunocompromised Populations.’
The US FDA approved Shingrix on July 26, 2021, to prevent shingles in adults 18 years and older who will be at increased risk of shingles due to immunodeficiency or immunosuppression caused by known disease or therapy. However, for adults who are or will be immunodeficient or immunosuppressed due to known disease or treatment and who would benefit from a shorter vaccination schedule, the second dose can be administered 1 to 2 months after the first dose.
GSK says people should not receive Shingrix if they are allergic to any of its ingredients or had an allergic reaction to a previous dose of Shingrix. And, Shingrix was not studied in pregnant or nursing women. So tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding, says GSK.
A study published on May 15, 2020, in ACR Open Rheumatology showed that the vaccine did not prompt flares of rheumatoid conditions.
How To Prevent It
Luckily, shingles are not contagious. The best way to prevent shingles is to get vaccinated, reveals Dr. Golden. “It is recommended that everyone over 50 get the Shingrix vaccine,” she says. “The vaccine does not contain live virus so you cannot get shingles from the vaccine.” You want to be careful scheduling your Shingrix vaccine and your COVID-19 vaccine: “Given the lack of data on the safety and efficacy of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines administered simultaneously with other vaccines, the COVID-19 vaccine series should routinely be administered alone,” the CDC advises doctors. “You should wait a minimum of 14 days after administration of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine series to give a patient Shingrix. Alternatively, if a patient just received Shingrix, you should wait a minimum of 14 days before giving them the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine series.”
You May Like: Cvs Pharmacy Tdap
What Should I Do If I Had The J& j Vaccine
People who had a single dose of the J& J/Janssen vaccine are recommended to get a second dose at least 8 weeks after the first dose.
Related to side effects
If you had the J& J/Janssen vaccine within the last 3 weeks, although the risk is low, you should monitor yourself for unusual symptoms, including severe headache, severe abdominal pain, unexplained leg pain, or shortness of breath, which may result from TTS, or muscle weakness or paralysis, which may result from GBS. If you develop unusual symptoms, you should seek medical attention and be certain to tell the healthcare provider the date you received the J& J/Janssen vaccine. For TTS, the physician can very quickly determine whether your problem is related to the vaccine by performing a simple complete blood count. If the platelet count is extremely low, the symptoms might be related to the vaccine. We would also recommend registering for v-safe, the CDCs vaccine monitoring system if you have not done so already.
If you had the J& J/Janssen vaccine more than 3 weeks ago, you are extremely unlikely to experience either thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome or Guillain-Barré syndrome .
This New Vaccine Has A Secret Benefit
For older adults, who are often the most vulnerable to severe and occasionally fatal infections, this kind of immune-boosting strategy will be a godsend.
Last Wednesday, elderly immune systems got a huge boost from an unlikely source. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices , which advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , recommended moving forward with Shingrix, a shingles vaccine.
Whats remarkable about Shingrix is that it dramatically eases the pain and nervous system damage associated with shingles but seems to enhance the immune systems of the elderly.
Shingles occurs when chickenpox virus, which thrives silently in the nervous system after the initial infection, reawakens after hibernation and travels down a nerve root. The result is a rash that appears as a long, thin strip along the side of the body. Sometimes shingles causes a rash on the face when it involves the eye, shingles can cause blindness. Every year in the United States about 1 million people develop shingles. During their lifetimes, 1 of every 3 people will suffer this disease, most after they are 60 years old.
In 2006, the Food and Drug Administration licensed the first vaccine to prevent shingles. Called Zostavax, it contains a live, highly attenuated form of the chickenpox virus. At the time of licensure, Zostavax was recommended for all adults older than 60.
READ THIS LIST
Also Check: How Much Is Tdap Vaccine At Cvs