Shingles Vaccines
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Subject:
Fund Shingles Vaccines Now
I am writing to you today as a Canadian Association of Retired Persons (CARP) member to express concern about the lack of funding for shingles vaccination among older adults in our community. I am very concerned about the seeming complacency among officials in aligning to recommendations from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI), the trusted body of experts that the Canadian government looks to for advice on vaccines. Shingles, caused by the reactivation of the varicella zoster virus (VZV), will affect about 30% of us in our lifetimes and 50% of those over age 80. The virus not only presents as a painful rash but can also result in severe and debilitating consequences, notably the development of post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN). Despite NACI having made a strong recommendation in 2018 that individuals 50 and older should be vaccinated against shingles, I can't get it because I can’t afford it, don’t have private insurance to cover the costs, and aren’t among those lucky enough to live in a province that provides it for my age group or demographic. According to a recent CARP Survey, over 94% of respondents think all adult vaccines recommended for older adults by NACI should be publicly funded. It would be possible to protect many more seniors and prevent many hospitalizations if the vaccine were provided for free for all individuals age 50 and older. As my elected representative, I’m calling on you to urge the Minister of Health to align with the strong recommendations outlined by the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) and put in place a government-funded shingles vaccination program for those aged 50 and older in the province/territory. By doing so, you can help protect thousands of older adults against the pain of shingles and alleviate the burden of shingles on the healthcare system.
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