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What the vaccine protects you from
Anyone who has had chickenpox is at risk of developing shingles later in life. 1 in 3 people will get shingles during their lifetime.
Shingles is a painful rash that develops on one side of the face, body or head.
Before the rash develops, people often have pain, itching, or tingling in the area where the rash will develop.
The most serious complications are nerve pain that can last for months or years, and eye problems that can result in loss of vision.
The best protection against shingles is vaccination.
Find out more about symptoms, causes and treatment.
How much the vaccine costs
The shingles vaccine is free for the 12 months after your 65th birthday. It is also free to specific people aged 18 years and older:
- with pre- and post- haematopoietic stem cell transplant or cellular therapy
- with pre- or post-organ transplant
- with haematological malignancies
- with poorly controlled HIV infection
- with end stage kidney disease
- with primary immunodeficiency
- who receive disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs.
When to get the shingles vaccine
The shingles vaccine is recommended for anyone aged 50 and over.
At age 65
Shingles vaccination is free for 12 months after your 65th birthday. You need 2 doses, 2 to 6 months apart.
As long as you receive your first dose when you are 65, your second dose will still be free, even if you get it after you turn 66.
If you are eligible for a free vaccination, you can get it from your nurse, doctor, healthcare provider and some pharmacies.
If you are not 65 years old
If you are not 65 years old, you will need to pay. The price will vary depending on the provider, but you can expect it to cost between $600 to $800 for both doses.
People with specific immunity conditions
The vaccine is also funded for some people with specific immune-compromising conditions. Talk to your doctor, nurse or hospital specialist to discuss your eligibility.
Which vaccine is used
The shingles vaccine used in New Zealand is called Shingrix. You need 2 doses, 2 to 6 months apart.
Information about Shingrix — Medsafe (PDF 229KB) (external link)
How to get a shingles vaccine
Shingles vaccines can be given by your nurse, doctor, healthcare provider, and some pharmacies.
The shingles vaccine can be given at the same time as most other vaccines. Ask your vaccinator if you are eligible for any other vaccinations at the same time — such as flu or COVID-19 vaccines.
If you are not enrolled with a doctor
Some pharmacies offer the shingles vaccine. If you are eligible, the shingles vaccine is free.
Find your nearest pharmacy that offers the shingles vaccine on the Healthpoint website.
Immunisations — Healthpoint (external link)
Some medical centres offer casual doctor and nurse appointments for people who are not enrolled. If you are eligible for a free shingles vaccine it will still be free, but you may need to pay an administration fee.
Doctors that offer casual appointments —Healthpoint (external link)
Side effects and reactions
Like most medicines, vaccines can sometimes cause reactions. These are usually mild, and not everyone will get them.
Mild reactions are normal and shows that your immune system is responding to the vaccine.
If you’re going to have any reactions, they normally happen in the first few days after getting vaccinated. The vaccine itself is gone from your body within a few hours or days.
The most common reaction to an immunisation includes:
- a slight fever
- pain or swelling where the needle went in.
Other common reactions
Other common reactions of the shingles vaccine include:
- headache
- nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and/or stomach pain
- muscle pain.
Allergic reactions
Serious allergic reactions are extremely rare. Only about 1 in 1 million people will experience this.
Your vaccinator is well-trained and knows what to look for and can treat an allergic reaction quickly if it happens.
Serious allergic reactions normally happen within the first few minutes of vaccination, this is why you need to wait for up to 20 minutes after immunisation.
More information
Find more information about common side effects, what to look for and how to report side effects.