Older people and those with weakened immune systems in Monaghan will be able to get the shingles vaccine free of charge for the first time, but not until next summer at the earliest, and local Senator Robbie Gallagher says that is too long to wait.
The Fianna Fáil senator told Northern Sound this week that he welcomes the national shingles vaccination programme and called it a "game-changer" for older people and the immunocompromised. But he said he was "disappointed" that the rollout will not begin until June 2027, and that he will raise with the Health Minister why it cannot start sooner.
What has been announced
Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill confirmed in a written Dáil answer on 15 October that she has approved a Shingles Vaccination Programme, in line with the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee. It will be rolled out on a phased basis over five years for immunocompromised groups and people aged 65 and over.
The order set out in that reply is:
- immunocompromised groups first, from 2027;
- then people aged 80 and over;
- and finally the 65 to 69 age group, when the programme concludes.
The Minister said the vaccine is expected to be given mainly by GPs and pharmacists, with further details to come. At her department's post-Budget briefing on 7 October, she said the HSE should be ready to begin with immunocompromised people in early summer, and that price talks with the manufacturer were still going on.
What it costs now
Until the programme starts, the shingles vaccine is only available privately. RTÉ reported that the course, which involves two separate injections, costs around €450. That is a considerable bill for a pensioner couple, which is why the free scheme has been sought for some time.
Shingles is caused by the same virus as chickenpox and can only develop in someone who has already had chickenpox. It tends to be more common and more severe in older people, which is why the advisory committee recommends the vaccine for everyone aged 65 and over.
What it means locally
Monaghan has a large older population in its rural areas, and many people in their late 60s will be at the back of the queue under a five-year plan. Anyone with a condition or treatment that weakens their immune system, such as cancer treatment, a transplant or certain arthritis medicines, should be among the first to be called from next summer.
In the meantime, people who want the vaccine now can still pay for it through their GP or pharmacy, and those unsure whether they will qualify early should ask their GP. Monaghan Brief will report on the Health Minister's reply to Senator Gallagher and on the HSE's detailed rollout plans when they are published.
