If you are aged 60 or older and have previously had chickenpox or shingles, McHenry County Department of Health (MCDH) recommends residents make an appointment to receive the shingles vaccine. A clinic has been scheduled for Wednesday July 28, from 8:30am-11am, at its Crystal Lake office, 100 N. Virginia Street (one block south of Routes 14 and 176). Appointments are required. The cost is $200 (cash or check accepted); Medicaid is accepted.
Although half of the 1 million new shingles cases each year are in people over 60, only 1.9% of older adults have received protection from the painful condition, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It recommends a single dose of the vaccine for adults aged 60 and older to help prevent new shingles cases and reduce the pain associated with the virus. Shingles is a painful skin rash often accompanied by blisters appearing on one side of the body and can last 2-4 weeks. It is caused by the Varicella Zoster virus – the same virus that causes chickenpox. Shingles is more commonly found in people 50 years of age and older who have already had chickenpox or the chickenpox vaccine. In rare instances, shingles can lead to pneumonia, hearing problems, blindness, brain inflammation (encephalitis), or death.
Shingles is not contagious; however, a person who has never had chickenpox or the chickenpox vaccine could get chickenpox from someone with shingles. A person with shingles blisters should avoid contact with anyone with a weak immune system, newborns and pregnant women.
As with any vaccine, people with special health considerations should contact their physician before receiving the shingles vaccine. Call 815-334-4500 to make an appointment. For more information visit.
Appointments still available for shingles vaccine.
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