so it would seem :
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You should tell your GP you want the Shingrix vaccine or nothing. They should hopefully agree it’s better to give you Shingrix than leave you unprotected.
Thanks for that info @AnnieS
Yep - that answers my question!
I presume the prices on the list you posted is the “retail price” for a private vaccination.
Since I posted my last comment, I did find an NHS document, giving advice to GP Surgeries about the new implementation schedule - it mentioned in there they should use up any existing Zostovax stocks so they are not wasted but not order any more when stocks run out.
They also cautioned against over-ordering / overstocking supplies of Shingrix because it was so expensive - they quoted a cost price that NHS have to pay for the vaccines as £99.96 per dose for Zostovax and £160 per dose for Shingrix - so the vaccine cost per patient vaccinated is £320 instead of £100 and the programme is being extended to a wider age group.
Looking at the vaccination prices you found, it ties in with those price differences.
It also shows that the private vaccination fees are not such a “rip off” as I first thought when I was considering having Shingrix vaccination privately rather than wait until I’m 70 for a free one - if at least £160 of that £240 for each dose is to cover the cost of the vaccine, then the private company must be charging no more than £80 per vaccination to cover their staff costs and other overheads and make some profit.
sorry I meant to post this
Also important to note that you need 2 of the Shingrix vaccines so that £320 in total plus the administration charge.
Interesting.
I am always interested in comparisons of schedules etc from country to country.
Here in Australia, Zostavax has been completely superseded by Shingrix.
( am not sure if Zostavax still available on private script if people want to pay cheaper - and don’t qualify for either on the NIP - national immunisation program - ie govt funded)
But NIP providers (such as where I work) were told to discard Zostavax stocks once Shingrix was available
As I was over 50 but under 65 - therefore qualified by age for private script Zostavax but not yet for govt funded Shingrix - I took the liberty of giving myself a free Zostavax, since it was going to be discarded anyway.
I’m sure other places did likewise.
Zostavax was NIP funded for people between 70 - 80 only (but not if immunocompromised) but available on private script for anyone over 50
Shingrix is available for anyone over 65, Aboriginal people over 50 and people over 18 with certain severe immunocompromise issues. (eg transplant reciprients, haematoligical malignancies)
ETA - if people had NIP funded Zostavax, they can still have Shingrix - but not until 5 years later)
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I’ve just checked and Zostavax is being abandoned because protection wanes significantly over the longer term.
And the fact it is a live vaccine which Shingrix is not, therefore can be given to everyone, immunocompromised or not.
you got that?
I think the confusion arises because chickenpox is contagious in the air while shingles by touch
Shingles is not contagious. But if someone comes into contact with the rash at a certain stage, they may contract the varicella-zoster virus and develop chickenpox. If they have chickenpox, shingles can develop later in life. To prevent transmitting the virus, keep shingles rashes covered.
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