Prevention

There is no way to prevent shingles.

• You cannot get shingles from someone else with shingles. However, if you have not had chickenpox, you can get chickenpox from close contact with open blisters of someone with shingles. Covering the rash with a dressing or clothing helps decrease the risk of spreading the infection to others.

• The VZV vaccine, otherwise known as the chickenpox vaccine, may decrease the incidence of shingles by enhancing the immune system's ability to fight off VZV or keep this virus inactive. Boosters of this vaccine are now being investigated and may help prevent shingles in the future.