Residents of the province between the ages of 65 and 70 years and immunocompromised residents over the age of 70 will be able to receive the shingles vaccine as of June 1.

Acting Minister of Health and Community Services John Haggie said, “Shingles can be a painful virus that affects the quality of life for people living with it. By making the vaccine available through the program, we can help seniors and immunocompromised residents reduce the risk of getting shingles, ensure they have a better quality of life, and eliminate the need for other pain management treatments.”

Shingles is caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, which remains dormant after an individual has had chickenpox and can lead to postherpetic neuralgia in some people, a condition that causes long-lasting nerve pain and can significantly affect an individual’s quality of life. Currently, antiviral treatments can reduce the pain of acute shingles if administered early.