2023-08-31 23:03:52
A shingles vaccine is available free of charge in Quebec and Prince Edward Island, but not in New Brunswick.
Provinces such as Quebec and Prince Edward Island offer free shingles vaccine for seniors. This vaccine is free in Quebec for people aged 65 and over and for immunocompromised people.
In Prince Edward Island, it is available to people age 60 and older.
In New Brunswick, the government does not fund the vaccine, but pharmacists can assess and prescribe medication for free if a person has symptoms characteristic of shingles. The program covers the cost of one exam per year for eligible individuals (12 years and older).
A reader who contacted Acadie Nouvelle said she would like to receive the vaccine, but it costs about $300.
The one who preferred not to be named argues that older people living on a pension may find it difficult to afford it, while older people are most often at risk of developing shingles.
According to Health Canada, shingles is a reactivation of the virus that causes chickenpox. People who have had chickenpox before can develop shingles, often several years later. People 50 and older who have had chickenpox are most at risk, and the incidence and severity of shingles cases increases with age.
The virus most often reactivates when a person’s immune system is already weakened by another health condition.
Shingles brings a rash that often appears as a band on one side of the body. Sometimes the pain caused by this rash can last for a month or more after the onset of symptoms. Health Canada recommends the vaccine for most people age 60 and older.
L’Acadie Nouvelle asked the Ministry of Health why this vaccine is not offered free of charge to people of a certain age.
Ministry spokesman Sean Hatchard says the ministry continually reviews its immunization program and is committed to providing an “effective and cost-effective program that provides optimal protection while taking into account our fiscal realities.” “.
“During this review, many factors are considered to inform decision-making, including scientific research, expert panel recommendations, disease burden, program delivery, cost-effectiveness, financial constraints and competing priorities within the department.”
He also claims that the NB government provides several other vaccines free of charge to seniors, and that these age groups were among the first to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. NB also funds the pneumococcal vaccine for residents age 65 and older.
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