The rollout of the shingles vaccine across the island is underway with a ‘soft launch’.

Health Minister Claire Christian confirmed the vaccine programme has started and those eligible will be contacted by their GP.

Some 200 people have already received their vaccination.

She was responding to a written Tynwald question from Speaker of the House of Keys Juan Watterson asking for an update on the rollout.

Ms Christian said: ‘Manx Care has now commenced implementation of the first year of the Isle of Man’s 10-year shingles vaccination programme which runs from January 1, 2025.

‘The programme has begun with a soft launch aiming to allow GP practices time to prepare for effective delivery.

‘Patients will be contacted by their GP practice when they become eligible, and patients will then receive their vaccination at a pre-booked clinic at their practice. The programme has been implemented to vaccinate the most vulnerable first.’

Those eligible for the vaccination in year one of programme are those born between September 1, 1953 and August 31, 1954 and those born between September 1, 1958 and August 31, 1959.

Those who are severely immunosuppressed and aged 50 years are also eligible along with those aged between 18 and 49 who are in receipt of stem cell transplantation.

Patients who have a date of birth from September 2, 1943 and August 31, 1953 will have previously been called for vaccination.

Ms Christian said: ‘In the first month of the programme, GP practices across the Isle of Man delivered 195 shingles vaccines to patients.

‘In addition to this, a total of 119 patients were vaccinated from April 2024 to December 2024, as instructed by consultants for patients with immediate clinical need.’

A shingle vaccine for some of the island’s most vulnerable could be rolled out in early January, it has been revealed.

In April 2023, Manx Care paused the shingles vaccination programme following a change to the recommended product being changed for eligibility and dose.

Stocks of the previous vaccine became depleted and the new product had significantly higher costs but the department decided to resume the programme last year.

Public Health estimated the take up for the vaccine in 2024 would be around 40 per cent with 3,000 people missing out on the vaccine while it was put on hold.

Shingles is caused by the herpes varicella-zoster virus, which also causes chickenpox. Shingles itself is the reactivation of an infection of a nerve and the area of skin that it serves, resulting in clusters of painful and itchy blisters.

The vaccine will be offered to all those aged 70 to 79 years and for individuals aged 60 years and above with poor immune systems. Those who with severely weakened immune systems from 50 years of age upwards will also be eligible.

According to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the overall annual incidence in the UK is estimated to be 1.85 to 3.9 cases per 1,000 population, increasing with age from less than two cases per 1,000 in people younger than 50 years to 11 cases per 1,000 in people aged 80 years or older.