Medically reviewed\u00a0by\u00a0Meredith Goodwin, MD, FAAFP\u00a0\u2014\u00a0By\u00a0Jill Seladi-Schulman, Ph.D., October 2022 HealthLine<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shingles<\/a> is a reactivation of varicella zoster virus (VZV), the virus that causes chickenpox<\/a>. It can lead to a painful, blistering skin rash. Shingles is also called herpes zoster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You may have read that some people develop shingles after getting the\u00a0COVID-19 vaccine<\/a>. While this is possible, it\u2019s still uncommon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This article covers the connection between the COVID-19 vaccine and shingles, other common causes of shingles, and how doctors treat shingles. Keep reading to learn more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Reports\u00a0show that people can develop shingles days or weeks after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a\u00a02021 research review, experts examined reports of people getting shingles after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. They found that many people who got shingles after their vaccine had existing factors that can increase the likelihood of developing shingles. These factors include older adulthood, immunological disorders, and cancer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Research shows that getting shingles after COVID-19 vaccines predominantly links with the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines<\/a>, including the ones that Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna produce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Experts don\u2019t yet know why the COVID-19 vaccines may increase the risk of shingles. It\u2019s possible that it could happen due to immune system changes that happen after getting a vaccine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The research into this topic can be conflicting as well. Let\u2019s take a look at two different studies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A\u00a02022 study<\/a> compared people who visited a clinic to receive an mRNA vaccine with an unvaccinated group of people who visited a health clinic for any other reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The researchers found that 0.2% and 0.11% of the vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, respectively, developed shingles in the 60 days after their clinic visits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While the researchers noted an increased frequency of shingles after the mRNA vaccines, they noted that this finding isn\u2019t exclusive to COVID-19 vaccines. Experts observe this with vaccines for other diseases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The researchers also noted that their study didn\u2019t consider whether individuals included in their group had potential risk factors for shingles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While the study above noted that there may be an increased risk of getting shingles after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, a 2021 study<\/a> had conflicting findings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This study compared shingles onset within a 28-day period after either receiving an mRNA vaccine or getting a diagnosis for another skin condition. The people in the second group had no known history of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The researchers matched these two groups of individuals 1-to-1 based on factors like age, sex, race or ethnicity, and health history. After this matching, they observed no increased risk of shingles between the two groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can also develop shingles after having\u00a0COVID-19<\/a>. A\u00a0different 2021 research review<\/a> noted that most cases of shingles happen 1 to 2 weeks after having COVID-19 and have a typical presentation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Older individuals may be more likely to develop shingles after having COVID-19. In a\u00a0another 2022 study<\/a>, researchers examined shingles in people who had experienced\u00a0COVID-19<\/a>\u00a0and people who had not. All people in the study were ages 50 and older.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Compared with people who hadn\u2019t had COVID-19, those that had experienced it had a 15% higher chance of shingles. This chance increased to 21% for individuals who experienced hospitalization for COVID-19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Similar to getting shingles after a COVID-19 vaccine, the reason why COVID-19 can lead to shingles is unclear. It may happen due to immune dysfunction that occurs from COVID-19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n VZV is a type of herpesvirus. This is a viral family that also includes the herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2, which cause oral<\/a> and genital<\/a> herpes, respectively. Like these viruses, VZV can lie dormant in your nerves after an initial infection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In some cases, VZV can reactivate<\/a>. When this happens, it moves down the nerves<\/a> until it reaches the skin, leading to the characteristic shingles rash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Generally, almost anyone who has had chickenpox<\/a> can develop shingles. While experts do not know yet what causes VZV to reactivate, experts believe that the reactivation happens due to factors that can lower immunity, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Doctors can treat shingles with antiviral drugs. These drugs can help make a case of shingles shorter and less severe, and they can prevent complications from shingles like postherpetic neuralgia<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some types of antiviral drugs that doctors commonly use to treat shingles include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Antiviral drugs can be most effective when you begin taking them shortly after the symptoms of shingles<\/a> develop. As such, contact a doctor promptly if you suspect that you have shingles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can also try the following at home that may help you recover:<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can help prevent shingles by receiving the shingles vaccine<\/a>. This vaccine is called Shingrix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The\u00a0Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)<\/a> recommends two doses of Shingrix for many adults ages 50 and older, as well as people with weakened immune systems that are ages 19 and older.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Because shingles may be brought on by intense stress<\/a>, you can also explore ways to reduce stress in your daily life. A few examples of things to look into include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n While all the things above can help lower stress levels, they may not absolutely prevent you from getting shingles. Experts recommend that the most effective way to reduce your risk of shingles can be to get the shingles vaccine when you\u2019re eligible for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some experts recommend that it can be a good idea for people with autoimmune diseases to get the COVID-19 vaccine. This is because people who have autoimmune diseases<\/a> may have weakened immune systems due to taking immunosuppressant medications<\/a> to treat their conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n People with weakened immune systems may be more likely to get severe COVID-19, according to the\u00a0CDC<\/a>. Experts say that the vaccine may be effective against the illness severity. Speak with your doctor to learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine to see if it\u2019s right for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A COVID-19 vaccine might cause an autoimmune flare-up. A 2022 research review<\/a> noted that current evidence generally doesn\u2019t support an increased risk of a flare-up following the COVID-19 vaccination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, it also pointed out that flare-ups are still possible after vaccination, particularly in people with higher disease activity. The writers went on to say that these flare-ups are often mild and don\u2019t require more intensive treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Field experts share that since people with autoimmune diseases can have higher chances of developing COVID-19, the benefits of getting a vaccine may outweigh the potential risk of a flare-up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Other vaccines may increase your risk of shingles. VZV reactivation links with other vaccines. A\u00a02021 research review<\/a> noted that these include vaccines for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes, you can get shingles if you received the chickenpox vaccine<\/a>. This is because it\u2019s a live vaccine, meaning it uses a weakened form of VZV.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, according to the\u00a0CDC<\/a>, shingles in people who have a vaccine against chickenpox is much rarer than it is in people who\u2019ve had a natural chickenpox infection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n No, you cannot get shingles if you\u2019ve never had chickenpox. Shingles is a reactivation of VZV, the virus that causes chickenpox<\/a>. To get shingles, you must have had chickenpox or the chickenpox vaccine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Chickenpox can be serious in adults<\/a>. If you haven\u2019t had chickenpox or the chickenpox vaccine, experts suggest that getting a vaccine against chickenpox can help prevent the chickenpox infection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shingles is a reactivation of VZV that can cause a painful rash. It\u2019s possible to develop shingles after COVID-19 vaccination and after having COVID-19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This observation isn\u2019t specific to COVID-19. Other vaccines and infections link with the onset of shingles. Experts do not know the reasons for this yet, but they\u2019re likely related to immune system changes or dysfunction<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can treat shingles with a combination of antiviral drugs and at-home care. Experts share that getting the shingles vaccine when it\u2019s available to you can reduce your risk of getting shingles.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Medically reviewed\u00a0by\u00a0Meredith Goodwin, MD, FAAFP\u00a0\u2014\u00a0By\u00a0Jill Seladi-Schulman, Ph.D., October 2022 HealthLine Shingles is a reactivation of varicella zoster virus (VZV), the virus that causes chickenpox. It can lead to a painful, blistering skin […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":9008,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[81,101,613],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8865","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-chicken-pox","category-covid-19","category-varicella"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cov19longhaulfoundation.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8865","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cov19longhaulfoundation.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cov19longhaulfoundation.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cov19longhaulfoundation.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cov19longhaulfoundation.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8865"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cov19longhaulfoundation.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8865\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9009,"href":"https:\/\/cov19longhaulfoundation.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8865\/revisions\/9009"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cov19longhaulfoundation.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/9008"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cov19longhaulfoundation.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8865"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cov19longhaulfoundation.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8865"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cov19longhaulfoundation.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8865"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}What\u2019s the connection between COVID-19 vaccines and the risk of shingles?<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Increased risk of shingles after COVID-19 vaccination<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
No increased risk of shingles after COVID-19 vaccination<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Are people who\u2019ve had COVID-19 more likely to develop shingles?<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What are the common causes of shingles?<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Risk factors for shingles<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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How is shingles treated?<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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What can you do to prevent getting shingles?<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Frequently asked questions about shingles and vaccines<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Should you get a COVID-19 vaccine if you have an autoimmune disease?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Can a COVID-19 vaccine cause an autoimmune flare-up?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Can other vaccines increase your risk of shingles?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Can I get shingles if I received the chickenpox vaccine?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Can I get shingles if I\u2019ve never had chickenpox?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Takeaway<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n