Humboldt County seniors who want the shingles vaccine may be eligible for a reduced immunization fee through the Merck Vaccine Patient Assistance Program.
Department of Health and Human Services Public Health staff members can help seniors apply for a subsidy for the Zostavax shingles vaccine, which is recommended for people 60 and older.
Applications for the patient assistance program for Zostavax are available at the Public Health Clinic, 529 I St. in Eureka, or the Garberville Public Health Clinic, 727 Cedar St. in Garberville. Appointments are required and can be made by calling the Eureka clinic at 268-2108 or the Garberville clinic at 923-2779.
There is a short enrollment process and applicants will know within an hour if they qualify for the reduced Zostavax immunization fee.
People may be eligible for the program if all three of the following conditions apply:
– They reside in the United States.
– They have no health insurance coverage.
– They have an annual household income less than $44,680 for individuals, $60,520 for couples or $82,200 for a family of four.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly one in three people in the United States will develop shingles in their lifetime. Anyone who has had chickenpox may get shingles, though the risk of disease increases as a person gets older. About half of all cases occur among men and women 60 or older. Those with weak immune systems are also more susceptible to shingles.
Shingles usually starts as a painful rash on one side of the face or body, according to the CDC. The rash forms blisters that typically scab over in seven to 10 days and clear up within two to four weeks.
The Zostavax vaccine lowers the chances a person will get shingles, shortens and lessens the severity if shingles is contracted and prevents long-term pain that can occur after shingles.
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