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If I had shingles, do I need to get the shingles vaccine?

A fellow caregiver asked...

I want to know if I had shingles once do I need to get vaccinated or am I now immune?

Expert Answer

Linda Hawes Clever, MD, MACP is founding President of RENEW, a not-for-profit aimed at helping devoted people maintain (and regain) enthusiasm, effectiveness and purpose. She is also a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, Associate Dean for Alumni Affairs at the Stanford University School of Medicine, Clinical Professor of Medicine at UCSF, former Editor of the Western Journal of Medicine, and founding Chair of the Department of Occupational Health at California Pacific Medical Center. Her new book is entitled, The Fatigue Prescription, Four Steps to Renewing Your Energy, Health and Life

This fine question is answered by the Center for Disease Control's section on the shingles vaccine, in the paragraph titled "Who should get the vaccine?" http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/shingles/vacc-need-know.htm It is always smart to check with your physician, too, of course, who would know about allergies and so forth. The surprising answer, depending upon you own physician's advice is, "Yes." Anything you can do to prevent shingles is a good idea, since its lingering effects can be even more devastating than the acute phase.