Did you know that…  Shingles is a vaccine-preventable disease?  One in three people will develop shingles in their lifetime. Shingles (or herpes-zoster) is a painful blistering rash which occurs when the dormant chickenpox virus is re-activated. It causes inflammation of the nerves and sometimes pain in the affected area can be severe and prolonged. The first symptoms of shingles can resemble flu-like symptoms including fever and headache. A burning sensation often appears on the affected region before the appearance of a rash. Immunisation against Shingles is achieved by a dose of the Zostavax® vaccine which can be given to adults 50 years and over. The Shingles vaccine is provided free for people aged 70-80 years. Please phone for an appointment if you wish to have the vaccination or for more information ask to speak to the Practice Nurse.