The General Directorate of Public Health of the Principality of Asturias has reported the inclusion of the vaccine against Herpes Zoster (HZ) in the adult vaccination schedule and in special situations.
With Asturias, they are a total of Eleven autonomous communities have incorporated this vaccine into their calendars. Thus, the Community of Madrid, Catalonia, Galicia, the Basque Country, Castilla y León, Castilla-La Mancha, the Balearic Islands, Murcia, Aragón and the Valencian Community already offer the population the HZ vaccine free of charge.
Vaccination against HZ In asturias initially prioritized for people with conditions that pose a risk much higher risk of developing herpes zoster than that of the general population, including the elderly, and that are associated with situations of immunosuppression. In addition, these people are at higher risk for more severe disease or complications from HZ.
Indications for vaccination
Systematic vaccination against HZ, with the HZ/su vaccine (Shingrix, GSK), will be incorporated into the general population in the 65-year-old cohort as of July 1 in the region. The vaccine will be administered by age, starting this 2022 with those born in 1957 and, successively, to those who are turning 65, as reported by the DG of Public Health through a circular.
People who have previously received the live attenuated herpes zoster vaccine ZVL (Zostavax, Merck) may be vaccinated by administering the first dose of HZ/su (recombinant vaccine adjuvanted), at least 5 years after ZVL.
Refering to vaccination of groups of higher riskHas advanced and on June 16, the indication of vaccination against HZ came into force for those over 18 years of age who present some risk condition (hematopoietic stem cell transplant, solid organ transplant, treatment with anti-JAK drugs, HIV infection, hemopathies malignant and solid tumors in active treatment with chemotherapy or who have received it in the last 6 months).
The vaccination schedule is two doses, two months apart, although in immunocompromised patients the second dose can be administered one month after the first.
HZ complications
Shingles is a highly prevalent diseasewhich has a higher incidence after 50 years and in women, increasing with age and, considerably, with the presence of immunosuppression and certain risk conditions.
Though their mortality is lowand the percentage of hospitalizations that it causes is also (2.4 percent with respect to the incidence of cases in Primary Care in Asturias), the complications that it can present, fundamentally post herpetic neuralgia (PHN), can cause disability and ostensibly affect the quality of life, so constitutes a significant burden on societyboth because of the direct costs of health care, and because of the loss of productivity in younger people, and of caregivers in older patients.
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