Anyone aged 50 or older urged to take precautions against Shingles

By KENDALL KING on March 3, 2023.

Health-care specialists during Shingles Awareness Week are reminding Canadians aged 50-plus to protect themselves against the virus.

Running Feb. 27 to Mar. 5, the second annual Shingles Awareness Week aims to inform those most at risk of complications shingles can pose to their health, and promote preventative measures such as vaccination.

“Shingles is a rash that is caused by a virus called varicella zoster virus, which is the same virus that causes chickenpox,” said Dr. Kristin Pon, an Alberta Health Services resident physician in public health and preventive medicine, speaking on behalf of the South zone’s medical officer of health.

“After someone gets chickenpox, the varicella virus can stay inactive in a nerve, and we call that being dormant. Then, later in life, the virus can reactivate and cause shingles.”

Pon says it is unknown what exactly causes reactivation of the varicella virus, as not all those who have the virus dormant in their body will develop shingles, but researchers have found age, stress, weakened immune systems and other factors can play a role.

“It’s common in older adults, or people with weaker immune systems,” said Pon. “And symptoms include, usually, a painful rash appearing in a band on a small area of the body or the face.”

Studies show approximately 90 per cent of Canadians are at risk for developing shingles, of which, an estimated 30 per cent are expected to develop symptoms.

“It’s quite common,” said Pon. “Only a (small portion of people) will have severe complications, like nerve pain, so most people do recover. But it is something that’s good to be aware of, because there are prevention (methods available).”

Prevention begins in childhood with routine vaccination against the varicella virus, but Pon and other health-care specialists encourage anyone 50 years of age or older to get an additional vaccination, available with a prescription from a health-care provider.

The vaccine is not covered by provincial public health care.

For more information about shingles or vaccination, visit myhealth.alberta.ca or call 811 HealthLink.