Story by Michael Merschel, American Heart Association News, Aug 12, 2024

Protecting yourself from the painful shingles virus may also protect cardiovascular health

About 1 in 3 people in the U.S. will have shingles in their lifetime, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Shingles affects only people who have been previously exposed to varicella zoster. More than 80% of shingles vaccinations are done at a retail pharmacy, said Dr. Dima Qato, an associate professor at the University of Southern California Mann School of Pharmacy. Qato recently studied how eliminating Medicare co-payments increased access to the vaccine. “However, we also know there’s disparities,” she said. Black and Latino people are less likely to get vaccinated for shingles than white people.

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Read a republished article at San Antonio Express News