Are Covid-19 Vaccinations Causing Shingles? What You Need To Know

CAN YOU GET SHINGLES FROM A COVID VACCINE?

Knock on wood, I've never had shingles to date, but I've had several friends get them, and they are incredibly painful and can last for quite a long time. I decided a long time ago that I would get the shingles vaccine to ensure that this wouldn't happen to me. But now, is there a possibility that I could get shingles anyway?

There is a concern that getting a COVID-19 vaccination may be linked to the reactivation of the virus that can cause people to get shingles. Most people who get chickenpox have a chance at getting shingles once in their lifetime, and there is the possibility that some people could get shingles more than once, but it's quite unlikely.

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RESEARCH STUDIES AND WHAT THEY SHOW

Regarding the possibility of the covid vaccine causing a shingles flare, it would be very unlikely to happen. According to a story in Medical News Today, there were two cases of shingles in adults after receiving their vaccinations, both people had chickenpox in the past, which also results from VzV.

There was also a 2021 paper on seniors and a 2021 case series on people with autoimmune conditions for people getting shingles after Covid-vaccinations. According to the studies, they said it could be possible that the vaccine could reactivate the virus that causes chickenpox and shingles, the vaccine itself does not CAUSE shingles.  Does that make sense? I think so?

SYMPTOMS OF SHINGLES

If you have shingles, you'll know it. You'll have a very painful rash, that may itch or burn and resemble chickenpox, except the rash appears in a cluster and usually affects just one side of the body, but not always.

Regardless of the link, experts say that you should still get vaccinated. The vaccine cannot cause a person to acquire shingles, a person can only get shingles if they've experienced a case of chickenpox or shingles in the past.