Diario Sur - Diario de Málaga. Noticias de Malaga

Sections

Services

Highlight

Delete
Regional health authority vaccinates nearly 30,000 people against shingles in six months
Health

Regional health authority vaccinates nearly 30,000 people against shingles in six months

The Junta de Andalucía is offering the free jabs to a specific age group and said that "up to 30 per cent of all adults will suffer from the infectious disease in their lifetime"

Europa Press

Malaga

Friday, 20 December 2024, 12:46

The regional ministry of health in Andalucá has vaccinated 27,596 people aged 65 (born in 1959) against shingles since last May, 27.1 per cent of the target population. According to the Junta, around half of them, some 13,456 people, have already received the second dose.

Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, is an infectious disease that "up to 30 per cent of all adults will suffer from during their lifetime". It manifests as a skin lesion, with vesicles or blisters, which "is usually extensive and very painful", and usually appears on the back and may spread to a leg, arm or the face.

The health authority said that currently, shingles "can be prevented by a vaccine with a two-dose course", separated by at least two months. The head of public health and pharmaceutical regulation, Jorge del Diego, said, "The vaccine is authorised for people aged 18 and over, and in Andalucía it is free of charge for people aged 65, and for people aged 18 and over who have risk factors for severe shingles."

Del Diego pointed out that "shingles is caused by the reactivation of the chickenpox virus".

"In all people who have had chickenpox at some point, the virus remains dormant in the body and due to different circumstances such as age, immunosuppression or other diseases, it can become active again and produce these lesions, which can lead to serious complications," he explained.

The health authority said that up to 30 per cent of older adults who have shingles "will develop complications, the most common being post-herpetic neuralgia", which, it said, "is severe pain that remains after the rash resolves and responds poorly to the usual painkillers".

It also pointed out that the shingles vaccine can be administered at the same time as other vaccines received at this age, such as the flu, Covid and pneumococcal vaccines, or the tetanus-diphtheria booster. Moreover, "it can be given at any time of the year and is administered at health centres by appointment".

Publicidad

Top 50
  1. 1 Costa del Sol town will be 'one of the most spectacular areas in southern Europe', according to mayor
  2. 2 Junta gives green light to Costa del Sol road widening project
  3. 3 Violent death in Malaga village: 'my brother died to save my life'
  4. 4 Water supply in Malaga town to be cut from Monday night to 'improve municipal network'
  5. 5 65-year-old suffers heart attack while playing walking football on Costa del Sol
  6. 6 Police appeal for public's help to find missing 13-year-old Gibraltar girl
  7. 7 Torremolinos closed December with record drop in number of unemployed
  8. 8 Stoppage-time strike sinks Malaga CF in thrilling match
  9. 9 Demolition complete of building on land earmarked for new cultural centre in Benalmádena
  10. 10 Torremolinos considers discount scheme for municipal lift service

Publicidad

Publicidad

Publicidad

Esta funcionalidad es exclusiva para suscriptores.

Comentar es una ventaja exclusiva para registrados

¿Ya eres registrado?

Inicia sesión
Espacios grises

Reporta un error en esta noticia

* Campos obligatorios

Política de privacidad

surinenglish Regional health authority vaccinates nearly 30,000 people against shingles in six months