Free NHS jab millions don’t take ‘could prevent thousands of deaths from stroke, dementia and heart issues’

A FREE NHS jab could save thousands of lives by reducing the risk of heart disease, heart failure and stroke, a study has found. But research has revealed that only around 50 per cent of those eligible have received the jab, meaning millions are missing out on a potentially life-saving injection. A free NHS jab could prevent thousands dying from heart disease, heart failure and stroke But government data shows that millions of those eligible for the jab have not got it Credit: Getty Scientists from the University of Oxford have discovered that the shingles vaccine Shingrix – which is available on the NHS – could prevent tens of thousands of deaths if given to all over-60s. The jab could significantly lower the risk of heart attack and stroke, research showed. Sign up for the Health newsletter Thank you! The vaccine is offered for free to everyone in their 70s, as well as some 65 to 69 year olds. Shingles is similar to chickenpox and causes a painful rash that can be severe for older people, who are most likely to get it. It can sometimes lead to serious problems such as deafness, long-lasting pain, and blindness. Writing in Nature Medicine journal, scientists explained that they analysed data from more than 70,000 people in the US, comparing those who were given the Shingrix vaccine and those who were given the Zostavax jab. The Zostavax vaccine was previously offered by the NHS to protect against shingles, but this was replaced by Shingrix almost three years ago. All participants were over the age of 60. Most read in Health The study found that for those who had the Shingrix jab, they lived 9 per cent longer – up to seven years after vaccination – without developing cardiovascular disease. The vaccine was also linked to people living 10 per cent longer with ischaemic heart disease, also known as coronary heart disease, and 12 per cent longer without heart failure. Researchers observed that this benefit was seen in both men and women, with men also showing a 12 per cent increase in the time they lived without having a stroke. Commenting on the study, Dr Maxime Taquet, associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Oxford, who led the study, said: “We found that Shingrix appears to protect against cardiovascular disease in both women and men. “We found that the protective association was most pronounced for ischemic heart disease and heart failure, but less so for ischemic stroke, where the effect was not sensitively significant.” He suggested that if everyone over 60 in the UK was vaccinated using Shingrix, then over a seven-year follow up, the number of deaths prevented could be in the tens of thousands. The Shingrix shingles vaccine has been offered on the NHS for free for almost three years Credit: Getty Who is eligible for a shingles vaccine? Shingles is a common condition that causes a painful rash. It can sometimes lead to serious problems such as long-lasting pain, hearing loss or blindness. You’re more likely to get shingles, and it’s more likely to cause serious problems, as you get older or if you have a severely weakened immune system. The shingles vaccine helps: Reduce your chances of getting shingles Reduce your chances of getting serious problems if you do get shingles So, who is eligible for the vaccine? People who turned 65 on or after September 1 2023 Everyone aged 70 to 79 is eligible for the shingles vaccine People aged 18 and over with a severely weakened immune system. This includes: Some people with blood cancer Some people with HIV or AIDS Some people who’ve recently had a stem cell transplant, radiotherapy, chemotherapy or an organ transplant People taking certain medicines that severely weaken the immune system Source: NHS Paul Harrison, professor of psychiatry, said the vaccine may benefit the heart as the virus may increase the risk of heart diseases. “By inhibiting the virus, the vaccine could reduce this risk,” he said. “Alternatively, the vaccine also contains chemicals which might have separate beneficial effects on the heart.” These findings come after a 2024 study found the jab was linked to a 17 per cent drop in dementia diagnoses in the six years after vaccination than Zostavax. Dr Taquet said a trial exploring the effects of Shingrix on heart problems and dementia is currently under way in Denmark. If the findings of this trial are confirmed, Shingrix “might be the first vaccine that protects the heart and the brain”, he added. On the NHS, people are offered two doses of Shingrix when they turn 65, as long as their birthday was on or after September 1 2023. Those who turned 65 before this date are eligible for the shingles vaccine when they turn 70, while all people aged 70 to 80 are also eligible. People aged 18 and over with a severely weakened immune system are offered a vaccine too. Uptake of the vaccine, however, is low in the UK, according to the UK Health Security Agency. Earlier this year it revealed that only 42 per cent of those turning 66, who had been eligible since their 65th birthday, had received their first of two Shingrix doses by October 2025. And among those turning 71 who had been eligible since 70, vaccine coverage stood at just over half (53%). Dr Julie Yates, UK Health Security Agency’s Deputy Director for Immunisation Programmes, said at the time: “We understand people are busy, and it can be easy to put things off, but this is a vaccine that can make a real difference to your quality of life. “If you are eligible and contacted by your GP, please don’t put it off — make that appointment.” Comment now