(Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care, National Immunisation program).

From 1 November 2023, the shingles vaccine Shingrix® will replace Zostavax® on the National Immunisation Program (NIP) for eligible people.

A 2-dose course of Shingrix® will be available free for:

• people aged 65 years and over
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50 years and over
• immunocompromised people aged 18 years and over with the following medical conditions:
o haemopoietic stem cell transplant
o solid organ transplant
o haematological malignancy (blood cancer)
o advanced or untreated HIV.

About 1 in 3 people will get shingles in their lifetime. Shingles is viral infection that is caused by the reactivation of the same virus that causes chickenpox. The painful, blistering rash can lead to nerve pain which may last many months.

People who have already received a free Zostavax® shingles vaccine can’t get a free Shingrix® vaccine for at least 5 years after they have had Zostavax®

People who have already received Zostavax® vaccine privately can receive Shingrix® free under the
program if they are eligible. An interval of at least 12 months is recommended between receiving
Zostavax® and a subsequent dose of Shingrix®. A 2-dose schedule of Shingrix® will still need to be
completed.

Stirling Central Health Clinic will be providing vaccinations from 1st November 2023. Please contact the clinic on 8370 9777 to make an appointment.

For more information about the vaccination, click here.