The Moderna Booster: Your Best Defense Against Shingles

Why do you need the Moderna booster vaccine? Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, can be a painful illness, and the Moderna booster vaccine can help prevent it. Let’s take a look at some of the side effects of shingles and what you can do to avoid it altogether or, if you catch it in time, lessen its severity and protect against complications.

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How To Prevent Shingles

Shingles is a painful rash, typically appearing on one side of your body. It’s caused by reactivation of varicella zoster virus, which manifests as shingles if you were previously infected with chickenpox. The CDC estimates that half of all people will develop shingles at some point in their lifetime, but there are ways to fight it off—and it starts with modern medicine. One way to do so is through a booster shot called Zostavax, made from an attenuated live-virus vaccine. This booster can help protect against shingles and reduce its severity should you get it later in life. To learn more about how Zostavax works and whether or not you should get vaccinated for shingles, read on! Shingles Vaccine Overview

Shingrix, manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), was approved by FDA in 2017 and has since become available. Approved for adults 50 years old and older, it provides protection against both varicella zoster virus (VZV) infection and herpes zoster (HZ). In fact, it offers greater protection than Zostavax (ZOS)—the only other vaccine approved for use in adults 50 years old and older—as evidenced by clinical trials. Although doctors often recommend getting both vaccines together, either vaccination alone is considered safe. When deciding between them though, be sure to weigh their individual pros and cons before making a decision based on your own needs.

What Is A Moderna Booster?

The Moderna booster vaccine is a shingles vaccination and only available through your health care provider. It contains 50 million units of recombinant zoster vaccine (RV5) to protect against shingles and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). PHN causes debilitating pain that can linger for months or years after getting shingles. The recommended age for receiving a moderna booster is age 60, but your health care provider can advise you about whether you need it based on your medical history.

When Do I Get A Moderna Booster?

Because there is only one shingles vaccine on the market (Zostavax), many people ask When do I get a moderna booster?. Unfortunately, there are currently no plans to develop an adjuvant vaccine for shingles, but we hope that pharmaceutical companies will listen to their customers and provide greater protection against shingles in the future.

What Are the Side Effects?

The side effects of a vaccine depend on what’s inside of it. For example, people who get flu shots often experience redness and soreness at the injection site; flu vaccines also sometimes cause headaches, fever, or fatigue.

Where Can I Get a Vaccine?

A vaccine to help prevent shingles was licensed in 2015 and is available at most health care providers' offices, such as those at Walgreens and local doctor's offices. It's only recommended for adults over 50 who have had chickenpox. Another option is a two-part shingles vaccine called Zostavax that protects against both varicella zoster virus — which causes chickenpox — and herpes zoster virus, which causes shingles.

How Much Does It Cost?

This inoculation can be administered either as a combination shot that protects against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (Tdap) and varicella (chickenpox), or separately. The latter option requires two separate shots to administer over an 8-10-week period. The Tdap vaccine can be obtained from your local drugstore for approximately $14, while doctors typically charge around $125 for a shingles shot.