Seongdong-gu Expands Shingles Vaccination for Seniors to Those Aged 65 and Older

Seoul's First Autonomous District Expands Shingles Vaccination for All Seniors Aged 65 and Over Regardless of Income
Vaccinations Available at Local Designated Medical Institutions from September 20, Prior Reservation Recommended

Seongdong-gu, Seoul (Mayor Jung Won-oh) will expand the free shingles vaccination, which has been provided to seniors aged 70 and over, to include seniors aged 65 and over starting from the 20th of this month.

According to a survey by the National Health Insurance Service, shingles occurs at least once in 10-30% of people when their immunity is weakened, and the incidence rate among seniors aged 65 and over is more than eight times higher than that of younger people. Shingles causes severe pain along with blisters following the nerve ganglia, and even after the blisters disappear, neuralgia can persist for a long time.

Since there is no adequate treatment for shingles, prevention is important. However, the cost of the preventive vaccine averages 100,000 to 120,000 KRW, and it has not yet been designated as a national mandatory vaccination, which places a significant burden on seniors who wish to get vaccinated.

In response, Seongdong-gu has proactively supported free shingles vaccinations for vulnerable seniors aged 65 and over since 2018. In the first half of this year, the target group was expanded to include all seniors aged 70 and over regardless of income level. Despite the recent nationwide instability in shingles vaccine supply, more than 90% of the target seniors have completed vaccination through close cooperation with vaccine suppliers and real-time posting of vaccine status at entrusted medical institutions, demonstrating a swift response.

The second half vaccination support starting from September 20 is available to seniors aged 65 and over (born before 1958) who are registered residents of Seongdong-gu and currently residing there. They can visit a nearby entrusted medical institution with their ID card. However, since vaccine supply is expected to remain unstable in the second half, it is recommended to check vaccine availability at the hospital and make a reservation in advance to receive the vaccination immediately.

Jung Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, said, “Seniors take much longer to recover from shingles compared to younger people and suffer greatly from complications. We hope that this expansion of the preventive vaccination will help seniors live healthier and more vibrant lives in their later years.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.