From thestar.com
Ontario seniors between the ages of 65 and 70 can now get the vaccine to prevent shingles at no charge, saving $170 and likely preventing a case of the painful skin disease.
Health Minister Eric Hoskins made the announcement Thursday at a west-end seniors centre, saying the shots are the best way to avoid the painful rashes that come with the malady, which is related to chickenpox.
He called it “chickenpox, part two” and noted “it comes back and it’s much worse.”
The vaccination program, promised in the government’s spring budget, will cost $68 million over three years for almost 1 million eligible seniors.
About 42,000 people in the province get shingles every year, with rashes and blisters that cause “an absolutely debilitating, miserable and long-lasting pain,” said Hoskins, a medical doctor.
Severe cases can leave patients in agony for months.
Ontarians born in 1945 can get the shots free from their doctor until the end of the year, along with others in the 65 to 70 cohort.
The age range was chosen because studies show that’s when the vaccine is most effective at preventing the disease or keeping cases mild, Hoskins said.
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