Many people have complained to us about the unfairness of giving the shingles vaccine to ‘young’ 65-year-olds and not to their ‘more at risk’ 69-year-old elders! (They are more at risk as the risk rises as you get older.) We were not consulted. However, we have been in touch with the NHS and it has been explained to us:
The NHS wants to bring the age when you become eligible down from 70 years to 60 years. People say it should be from 69-years-old this year, then from 68-years-old next year, etc. That would mean that the ‘rules’ change every year. Very confusing for GPs. The NHS would have to spend more on explaining the rule change each year to the GPs.
It simpler, for the organisers to change the rules twice: from 1st Sept 2023, people who turn 65 get the vaccine and then from 1st Sept 2028, people who turn 60 get the vaccine.
Not as good from a medical point of view, perhaps, but definitely better from a bureaucratic one!
See NHS shingles vaccine page here.
Shingles information – help keep us going:
