Andorra to offer free shingles vaccine to all 65-year-olds in 2026
The Ministry of Health will add EMA‑authorised SHINGRIX to the national immunisation schedule; full programme details will be published early next.
Key Points
- Nationwide free vaccination for everyone aged 65 planned for 2026.
- Ministry bought SHINGRIX, the only EMA‑authorised zoster vaccine, at €120.25 per dose.
- Vaccine not yet in adult schedule but currently prescribed for certain at‑risk groups.
- Measure aims to prevent shingles and long‑lasting postherpetic neuralgia in older adults.
Andorra’s Ministry of Health will add vaccination against herpes zoster to the national immunisation schedule for all people aged 65 during 2026. The ministry said it will publish the full details of the free vaccination programme at the start of next year.
To enable the wider rollout, the ministry has acquired SHINGRIX®, the only herpes zoster vaccine authorised by the European Medicines Agency, at a price of €120.25 per dose. The vaccine is not currently included in the adult vaccination schedule, although doctors prescribe it for certain at‑risk groups.
Herpes zoster, or shingles, is caused by the same varicella zoster virus that causes chickenpox in childhood. After chickenpox, the virus remains dormant in nerve roots and can reactivate years later, causing a painful rash in a localized area of skin.
In some cases, nerve pain in the affected region persists after the rash has healed. This complication, known as postherpetic neuralgia, can last for months or even years. The ministry said the measure aims to protect the population from diseases that may pose a health risk.
Original Sources
This article was aggregated from the following Catalan-language sources: