The NHS has begun inviting people born before 1961 to book their shingles vaccination, following an eligibility change introduced in 2023 that extended the routine programme to everyone turning 65. The vaccine is also available for all adults aged 70 to 79 and for anyone aged 18 and over with a severely weakened immune system.
Shingles is a viral infection that causes a painful rash. It happens when the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox, reactivates in the body after remaining dormant for years. The rash often appears as a band of blisters on one side of the torso, face or neck. While most people recover without lasting problems, shingles can lead to serious complications, including long-lasting nerve pain, hearing loss or blindness.
Who is eligible for the shingles vaccine?
The NHS currently offers the shingles vaccine to the following groups:
- Adults when they turn 65
- Adults aged 70 to 79
- Adults aged 18 and over who have a severely weakened immune system
Under the 2023 rule change, eligibility now begins at age 65 rather than at a later point. This means that anyone born before 1961 who has not yet received the vaccine is being called forward by the NHS. Previously, the jab was not routinely available to people in their mid-60s, and the change was designed to extend protection to a younger group of adults.
The vaccine is given as two doses, usually between six and twelve months apart. Your GP practice should contact you to arrange an appointment. If you think you are eligible and have not been contacted, you are advised to phone your surgery directly and ask about the vaccine. The NHS is contacting people in priority order, so you may not have received your invitation yet.
You remain eligible for the vaccine until your 80th birthday, but you can have your second dose any time up to your 81st birthday. This applies both to people who become eligible at 65 and to those in the 70-to-79 age group.
Why the vaccine is now being offered at 65
The change to the NHS vaccination schedule comes as research suggests shingles is becoming more common among younger adults. A US study published in 2019 found that the sharpest rise in shingles cases occurred in adults aged 30 to 49. The study analysed data over a 20-year period and showed that, between 1998 and 2017, cases in this group more than doubled, overtaking the trajectory of older age groups, although older adults still experienced more cases overall.
According to the NHS, around one in four people will experience shingles at some point in their lifetime, and the likelihood increases with age. That is why the UK health service offers the vaccination to everyone over 65, while the United States recommends it from age 50.
The reasons for the shift towards younger adults are not fully understood, but experts suggest that a growing number of people have conditions or treatments that weaken immunity. Even minor pressures, such as an infection or a period of poor health, can allow the virus to reactivate and cause symptoms.
Expert view on shingles and immunity
Jennifer Moffat, associate professor of microbiology and immunology at the State University of New York Upstate Medical University, explained that the virus often reactivates without causing symptoms, which can help boost the body's immunity. She said: "As chickenpox decreased, the rate of zoster was on the same trajectory in 30-year-olds as it always was. Scientists and physicians now believe the virus occasionally reactivates without symptoms, which provides an internal immune boost. Only when that person has impaired immunity does it cause a rash and the symptoms of shingles."
She added that even a small dip in immune function is enough to let the virus emerge: "It only takes a small gap in your immune function to let this virus pop out. Having a respiratory disease like Covid or flu … getting a bad sunburn, having type 2 diabetes or even treatment with steroids (which suppress immune system responses) can lead to an eruption of shingles."
The NHS is therefore urging everyone who is eligible to take up the offer when contacted. The two-dose course provides protection against a condition that can have a significant impact on quality of life, and the vaccine is free of charge for all eligible groups.
