FINE Gael councillor Peter Doyle has called on Limerick Council to write to the Health Minister requesting the double shingles vaccination be given free to those over 65 years old.
The cost of the two-dose vaccination service (Shingrix), Cllr Doyle told Council members at the recent Metropolitan District meeting, is €487 (€243.50 per vaccination dose) in a pharmacy. He said that he is personally aware of a case where a mature lady got shingles and has now ended up in a nursing home because of the infection.
“It can also result in blindness for older people who get the shingles. I think this is an important move,” Cllr Doyle commented.
Cllr Olivia O’Sullivan seconded his motion and pointed out that shingles is also closely linked to dementia.
“There is large evidence that shows that shingle vaccine can reduce dementia by 20 per cent in the elderly. A fifth of our population in their elderly years who suffer from dementia could be saved from it,” Cllr O’Sullivan said.
“We need a vaccine programme for our elderly similar to the vaccine programme we have for our children. We’ll save ourselves so much public money in elderly care if we can start to examine it in a similar way. If we could be protected in the same way in our retirement years, people will love longer and healthier.”
Social Democrats councillor Shane Hickey-O’Mara also supported the motion, deeming shingles “the worst thing”.
“I couldn’t imagine being 80 or 65 and experiencing that,” he concluded.