Shingles vaccines are available for people 71 and over, but is Quebec doing enough?

A pharmacist shows doses of a shingles vaccine at a CVS pharmacy on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

In Quebec, one in three people will develop shingles during their lifetime. Since Feb. 1, people aged 71 and over have been eligible to receive the vaccine free of charge. But has the age been lowered enough, considering that people aged 50 and over are disproportionately affected by shingles?

Shingles is a little bit like chickenpox in adults. It is a virus in the same family as herpes. Shingles causes a rash on the skin, often on the chest or scalp.

People feel a sharp tingling or burning sensation before it becomes visible, says Dr. Paul Poirier, a cardiologist at the Quebec Heart and Lung Institute. After 24 to 48 hours, small red bumps appear on the skin.

Across the province, 27,000 cases are reported each year, including nearly 600 hospitalizations and about 10 deaths.

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This disease can be quite painful. One in five people will experience neuralgia, which is nerve pain that can last for a long time.

“If I have shingles on my scalp, for example, I may have trouble combing my hair because it hurts so much. And then there’s the burning pain. It feels hot, it burns—yes, it’s terrible. It can last for months, even years,” says Dr. Poirier.

More rarely, shingles can lead to muscle paralysis and loss of hearing or vision.

Dr. Poirier mentions that people aged 50 and over who are immunocompromised—those with chronic diseases, particularly lung, heart, or kidney failure—are more likely to develop shingles and postherpetic neuralgia. People aged 65 and over who have no health problems also have an increased risk of developing shingles.

A highly sought-after vaccine, according to the APQ

Vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent the disease and offers long-term protection for at least ten years, according to the Ministry of Health. Since 2018, the Quebec Immunization Committee has recommended that the vaccine be offered to all adults aged 50 and over.

For now, only those aged 71 and over and those aged 18 and over who are immunocompromised are eligible for free vaccination. For others, the cost is approximately $300.

Dominique Massie, executive director of the Quebec Lung Association (APQ), finds this to be largely insufficient.

“For me, it’s a real joke. It’s not normal that the government doesn’t want to put money into this. Seventy-one is too old,” she said.

She points out that three million Quebecers of all ages live with respiratory diseases. Most of them are vulnerable to shingles.

“It’s crazy how many people call us to get this vaccine,” she says. “Unfortunately, we don’t have the money to pay for it for people. But $300 is a lot of money.”

Massie points out that many people will be absent from work due to the symptoms of shingles.

“It causes physical disabilities and is terrible for your sleep. When you get dressed or eat, it causes difficulties and psychological distress for people who have it,” she emphasized.

Free access to the shingles vaccine varies across Canada, even though the National Advisory Committee on Immunization recommends that all adults aged 50 and over be eligible for the vaccine. In Ontario, for example, people aged 65 to 70 are eligible for the vaccination program.

Among the provinces with the best access is Nova Scotia, which offers it free of charge to those 65 and older. In Prince Edward Island, the government lowered the age of eligibility for shingles vaccination from 60 to 50 in 2024.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Feb. 6, 2026.

By Katrine Desautels, The Canadian Press

The Canadian Press’s health coverage is supported by a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. The Canadian Press is solely responsible for this journalistic content.