Shingles Vaccine

Available at all Take Care Clinics

Where can I get the Shingles Vaccine?
The Shingles Vaccine is available at all Take Care Clinics. Click here or call 1-866-TAKE-CARE to find the location nearest you.

When can I get the Shingles Vaccine?
The Shingles Vaccine will be given during normal hours of operation at all Take Care Clinics.

How much does the Shingles Vaccine cost?
The cash price of the vaccine administered at a Take Care Clinic is $219.99, which may be covered in part or completely by your insurance company.

Will my insurance cover the Shingles Vaccine?
Some immunizations such as the Shingles Vaccine may be covered by your insurance company. Coverage varies depending on your individual plan. For more information, you may contact your insurance provider. Your health care provider or pharmacist may be able to help with insurance questions. If you have Medicare Part D you may also call 1-800-MEDICARE or visit www.medicare.gov for more information.

How do I get the Shingles Vaccine at a Take Care Clinic?

• Sign in at the kiosk and select "Shingles Vaccine" from the vaccine menu.
• The Take Care Health Provider will ask you a list of questions to ensure that you are medically eligible for the Shingles Vaccine and will administer the vaccine.

How is the Shingles Vaccine administered?

• The Shingles Vaccine is given as a single dose by injection under the skin.
• The Shingles Vaccine is a frozen live virus and begins to rapidly lose its effectiveness 30 minutes after it is removed from the freezer.
• In order to ensure effectiveness, the vaccine must be administered within that 30 minute window.

Who should not get the Shingles Vaccine?
You should not get the Shingles Vaccine if you:

• Are allergic to any of its ingredients
• Are allergic to gelatin or neomycin
• Have a weakened immune system (for example, an immune deficiency, leukemia, lymphoma, or HIV/AIDS)
• Take high doses of steroids by injection or by mouth
• Are pregnant or plan to get pregnant

You should not get the Shingles Vaccine to prevent chickenpox.

Children should not get the Shingles Vaccine.

What is Shingles (Zoster)?
Shingles is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. Once you have had chickenpox, the virus can stay in your nervous system for many years. For reasons that are not fully understood, the virus may become active again and give you shingles. Age, increased stress, and problems with the immune system may increase your chances of getting shingles. Shingles is a rash that is usually on one side of the body, in a line along a nerve area. The rash begins as a cluster of small red spots that often blister. The rash can be painful. Shingles rashes can last 7-14 days, but in some people the nerve pain can last for months following. For most people, the pain associated with the rash lessens as it heals. Other symptoms of Shingles can include fever, headache, chills, and upset stomach. You cannot catch shingles from another person with shingles.

What is the Shingles Vaccine and how does it work?

• The Shingles Vaccine:
• Is a vaccine that is used for adults 60 years of age or older to prevent shingles (also known as zoster)
• Contains a weakened chickenpox virus (varicella-zoster virus)
• May not protect everyone who gets the vaccine
• Works by helping your immune system protect you from getting shingles. If you do get shingles even though you have been vaccinated, the Shingles Vaccine may help prevent the nerve pain that can follow shingles in some people.
• Cannot be used to treat shingles once you have it, though it can help to prevent further outbreaks.

What should I tell my Take Care Health Provider before I get the Shingles Vaccine?
You should tell your Take Care Health Provider if you:

• Have or have had any medical problems
• Take any medicines, including non-prescription medicines and/or dietary supplements
• Have any allergies, including allergies to neomycin or gelatin
• Had an allergic reaction to another vaccine, and if so, what your reaction was
• Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant
• Are breast-feeding

Tell your TCNP if you expect to be in close contact (including household contact) with newborn infants, someone who may be pregnant and has not had chickenpox or been vaccinated against chickenpox, or someone who has problems with their immune system. Your TCNP can tell you what situations you may need to avoid.

What are the possible side effects of the Shingles Vaccine?
The most common side effects that people in the clinical studies reported after receiving the vaccine include:

• Redness, pain, itching, swelling, warmth, or bruising where the shot was given
• Headache

The following additional side effects have been reported in general use with the Shingles Vaccine:

• Allergic reactions, which may be serious and may include difficulty in breathing or swallowing. If you have an allergic reaction, call your doctor right away.
• Fever

Tell your Take Care Health Provider if you have any new or unusual symptoms after you receive the Shingles Vaccine.

What are the ingredients of the Shingles Vaccine?
Active Ingredient: a weakened form of the varicella-zoster virus.

Inactive Ingredients: sucrose, hydrolyzed porcine gelatin, sodium chloride, monosodium L-glutamate, sodium phosphate dibasic, potassium phosphate monobasic, potassium chloride.

What can I do to learn more?
Your Take Care Health Provider can give you additional information on Shingles and the Shingles Vaccine. You may also contact the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at 1-800-232-4636 (1-800-CDC-INFO) or www.cdc.gov/nip.

Information on the Shingles Vaccine provided by www.MERCK.com