The Saudi Society for Geriatric Medicine participated in the medical-scientific forum that was held on November 25, 2022 to discuss the topic of preventing shingles disease, which came under the slogan “Prevention of shingles disease: a decade of protection”, in the cities of Riyadh, Jeddah, and Al-Khobar. A group of specialists in family medicine, internal medicine, elderly medicine, infectious disease medicine, and community medicine participated in the forum. lasting up to 10 years, and to the unmet medical needs and prevention methods of people at high risk of shingles and those with weakened immune systems.
An extensive study was conducted on the shingles vaccine earlier, and it reached temporary positive results indicating that the vaccine may provide at least a decade of protection against shingles disease, after taking the second dose of it, and these results came from an extended study of two trials. Two phase III clinical trials, and the effectiveness of the vaccine was shown in the age group of 50 years and over, by 97%, and for those aged 70 years and over, it reached 91% during a follow-up period of about 4 years.
The importance of vaccinations for adults
During the practical forum, the speakers revealed the importance of vaccines for adults, and the potential role of the shingles vaccine to help prevent the disease. They also stressed the importance of obtaining the vaccine for qualified people. The speakers also pointed out the importance of vaccinations, especially for those who are more susceptible to infectious diseases. Experts also expected that the shingles vaccine would reduce the course and severity of the disease, and the risk of neuralgia associated with the disease, according to what some studies reported that vaccination against shingles disease contributes to Providing protection that may reach for a period of 10 years. Experts also pointed to the increase in the rate and risk of infectious diseases in people with weak immune systems, and therefore it is recommended that they be given priority in obtaining vaccines in general.