However, even optimal antiviral and analgesic therapy cannot always prevent PZN from developing. But the incidence of zoster and PZN can be reduced with vaccination. A high-dose, live attenuated VZV vaccine (Zostavax®) has been available since 2006. However, the Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO) does not recommend it as the standard vaccination because of its limited effectiveness and its limited duration of action. It favours the adjuvanted herpes zoster subunit vaccine (Shingrix®), which has been available since 2018 and consists of the recombinant surface glycoprotein gE of the virus and an effect booster (AS01B). Shingrix has a high protective effect in seniors and is also suitable for people with a weakened immune system. The vaccine is administered intramuscularly in two doses at intervals of two to a maximum of six months. The Standing Commission on Vaccination (STIKO) advises vaccination for all people over 60 years of age and for people over 50 years of age who have certain underlying diseases or an immune deficiency. Current figures show that the demand for the vaccination is increasing. The German Drug Testing Institute (DAPI) announced that the number of vaccine doses delivered by pharmacies to doctors' practices more than tripled in the first half of 2022 compared to the same period last year - from 662,000 to 2 million.
