Shingles Vaccine Can Be Administered After COVID-19 and Flu Vaccines
Yes, you can safely get the shingles vaccine after receiving COVID-19 and flu vaccines. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that inactivated vaccines, including the shingles vaccine, can be safely and effectively administered simultaneously with or after other vaccines like COVID-19 and influenza vaccines 1.
Administration Guidelines
- COVID-19 vaccines can be administered concurrently with influenza vaccines, and the shingles vaccine can be added to this combination without safety concerns 1
- When administering multiple vaccines simultaneously, they should be given at separate anatomic sites to minimize local reactions 1
- Individual vaccines should not be mixed in the same syringe unless specifically licensed for mixing by the FDA 1
Timing Considerations
- There is no need to delay vaccination to administer these vaccines separately when they can be given simultaneously or in sequence 1
- If administering vaccines with increased reactogenicity (e.g., adjuvanted or high-dose influenza vaccines along with COVID-19 or shingles vaccines), they should be injected into different limbs to minimize local reactions 1
- For live vaccines (note: the current shingles vaccine Shingrix is not a live vaccine), if not administered simultaneously with other live vaccines, at least 4 weeks should pass between administrations 1
Safety and Efficacy
- Studies have shown that simultaneous administration of vaccines elicits satisfactory antibody responses without increasing the incidence or severity of adverse reactions 1
- The American College of Rheumatology has identified the need to evaluate the impact of coadministration of COVID-19 vaccines given concurrently with other non-live virus vaccines (including shingles and influenza) on vaccine immunogenicity and tolerability 2
- Some studies suggest a possible temporal association between COVID-19 vaccination and herpes zoster reactivation, though causality has not been definitively established 3, 4
Special Considerations
- For patients on immunomodulatory therapies, the American College of Rheumatology provides guidance on timing vaccinations, but these recommendations do not specifically contraindicate administering shingles vaccines after COVID-19 and flu vaccines 2
- Patients with autoimmune conditions or those on immunosuppressants should be aware that they may have a slightly higher risk of herpes zoster reactivation following COVID-19 vaccination 4
- During the COVID-19 pandemic, routine vaccinations including shingles vaccines were disrupted, potentially leading to increased cases of herpes zoster 5
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- Do not delay vaccination unnecessarily, as this may lead to missed opportunities for protection 1
- Do not mix vaccines in the same syringe unless specifically approved for mixing 1
- Be aware that some patients may experience increased reactogenicity when receiving multiple vaccines in a short timeframe 1
The evidence strongly supports that receiving the shingles vaccine after COVID-19 and flu vaccines is both safe and effective, with no need for specific timing intervals between these vaccinations.