Shingles Vaccination Less Frequent Due to COVID-19... Get Preventive Shots Early

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, while the COVID-19 vaccination rate surged sharply, vaccination rates for other adult-targeted vaccines have drastically declined, raising concerns about adult diseases after COVID-19.

According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on the 3rd, the first-dose COVID-19 vaccination rate stands at 87.6%, with 97.2% of adults aged 18 and over having completed vaccination. In contrast, the pneumococcal vaccine, which is part of the national essential vaccinations for those aged 65 and older, saw its vaccination rate drop significantly from 66.4% in 2019 to 44.3% in 2020, after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, indicating a sharp decline in adult vaccination rates.

In particular, recently, many public health centers and hospitals have temporarily suspended vaccinations other than the COVID-19 vaccine due to COVID-19 vaccination and infection patient management, making it difficult to find institutions administering adult preventive vaccines.

Shingles is a serious infectious disease affecting more than 700,000 patients annually in Korea. Despite a trend of decreasing patients with other infectious diseases due to reduced outdoor activities caused by COVID-19, there has been no significant change in the incidence of shingles.

Shingles is known to cause severe pain that significantly lowers patients' quality of life, described as "knife-like pain" or "burning pain." Research has shown that the pain caused by shingles is more intense than labor pain or postoperative pain. Complications are also serious. Even after all rashes have subsided, pain may persist as "postherpetic neuralgia." This persistent and recurrent pain can lead to physical problems such as chronic fatigue, loss of appetite, and insomnia, as well as psychological issues like anxiety and depression.

This is why preventing shingles before onset is important. Vaccination is recommended for middle-aged and older adults aged 50 and above, who are at higher risk of developing shingles. Additionally, since the recurrence rate of shingles is higher than the initial incidence rate among Koreans, even those who have had shingles before need vaccination to prevent recurrence. Vaccination can be administered at least 6 to 12 months after treatment.

The shingles vaccine offers significant preventive effects with just one lifetime dose for those aged 50 and above. Unlike COVID-19 vaccines, no additional booster shots are required, reducing the burden. With just one dose, the prevention rate is about 70% for people in their 50s and about 64% for those aged 60 and older.

Vaccination can result in a milder case of shingles if infection occurs and reduces the likelihood of progressing to postherpetic neuralgia by 67%.

Shingles vaccination can be administered regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status or timing. However, it is advisable to check health status before vaccination and consult medical staff at hospitals or clinics to schedule the vaccination. It is also important to confirm that the vaccine has verified preventive effects and a safety profile. As the number of medical institutions offering vaccinations has significantly decreased due to the recent spread of COVID-19, visiting the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service website in advance to find local clinics and hospitals providing shingles vaccination can reduce inconvenience. You can also immediately check information on vaccination costs by hospital or clinic.