COVID-19 and Shingles: What’s the Connection? Experts Discuss (With Pictures)

Shingles is a painful skin condition that people can develop as they get older or if they have a weakened immune system. 

Any type of infection can stress the immune system and cause a shingles outbreak. The virus that causes COVID-19 is no exception. Research continues to show a relationship between COVID and shingles. There are also reports of people getting shingles after the COVID vaccine. But how exactly are shingles and COVID related?  

What is shingles?

Shingles is a painful rash that develops when the varicella-zoster virus (the virus that causes chickenpox) gets reactivated. Before the chickenpox vaccine, many people got chickenpox in childhood. Even after people completely recover from chickenpox, the varicella virus can stay “asleep” (dormant) in the body by hiding in the nervous system without causing any symptoms. But when the immune system gets weakened, the virus can “wake up” (reactivate) and cause shingles. 

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Only people who’ve had chickenpox in the past can get shingles. In theory, people who’ve been vaccinated against chickenpox can develop shingles. But this doesn’t happen very often. 

It’s important to recognize shingles when it develops. Shingles can lead to complications like long-term nerve pain and keratitis, a vision-threatening eye infection.

Shingles pictures

Here are some shingles rash images on different skin tones and various parts of the body. 

Early shingles forms on the chest.

A shingles rash appears on the back.

Can COVID-19 illness cause shingles?

The virus that causes COVID doesn’t cause shingles directly. But COVID and shingles may be related. COVID illness weakens the immune system, and that can give the virus a chance to wake up and cause shingles. Here’s what the research shows so far:

• One study found that people who had serious COVID illness were twice as likely to develop shingles.

• Another study showed similar findings. In this study, people over the age of 50 were at highest risk for developing shingles after COVID illness. 

• Another very large study found that people older than 50 years were 15% more likely to develop shingles if they had COVID illness when compared with people of the same age who didn’t get COVID. 

Scientists can’t say for sure that having COVID increases everyone’s risk of developing shingles. But people who are older or have medical conditions that affect the immune system should be aware of this risk. 

Does the COVID-19 vaccine cause shingles?

No. The COVID vaccine doesn’t cause shingles — only the varicella-zoster virus causes shingles. But it’s not clear if COVID vaccines can trigger shingles to develop.

There have been reports of people developing shingles after COVID vaccination. But it’s unclear if these cases are just coincidence or if shingles is a real possible side effect of the COVID vaccine.  

One study reviewed reports of people who developed shingles after the COVID vaccine. The study found that many of these people had medical conditions that weakened their immune systems. 

EXPERT PICKS: WHAT TO READ NEXT

• Can you get shingles twice? Yes, but it’s unlikely. Learn about who’s at risk and how to prevent it. 

• What does shingles feel like? Three people share their stories on what it was like to experience and manage shingles. 

• What does shingles look like? See what shingles looks like on different body parts and different skin tones (with pictures).

In a study from Israel, everyone who got shingles after the COVID vaccine was also taking immunosuppressive medications. 

If you have a weakened immune system or are taking immunosuppressive medication, you may be at increased risk for developing shingles after your COVID vaccine. But keep in mind that you may also be at risk for developing shingles from COVID illness.  

Does the COVID-19 vaccine protect against shingles?

No. The COVID vaccine doesn’t protect against shingles. The virus that causes shingles is different from the virus that causes COVID. So the same vaccine can’t protect against both viruses. 

But there’s an effective vaccine against shingles. The CDC recommends the shingles vaccine (Shingrix) for everyone older than 50 years. The CDC also recommends it for anyone older than 19 years who has a weakened immune system.

If you’re at higher risk for developing shingles from COVID or the COVID vaccine, it’s a good idea to keep your shingles vaccination up to date. You can get your shingles and COVID vaccines at the same time. 

How soon can you get the shingles vaccine after COVID infection?

If you currently have COVID illness, you may be able get your shingles vaccine as soon as your illness improves and your isolation period ends. And if you have shingles, you may be able to get your COVID vaccine once you’re feeling better. 

It’s best to talk about the timing of your vaccines with a healthcare professional. You may need to wait a bit longer before getting vaccinated if you have certain medical conditions or take certain medications. 

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Written by:

Shiv Sudhakar, MD

Shiv Sudhakar, MD, is a fellow of the Infectious Disease Society of America and works as a physician in California. He has co-authored over 10 peer-reviewed research articles, published several short stories, had a script recently optioned, and presented 20 scientific presentations, two of which placed in the top 3 at the American College of Physicians.

Edited by:

Karla Robinson, MD

Karla Robinson, MD, is a medical editor for GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified family physician with almost 20 years of experience in health through varied clinical, administrative, and educational roles.

Reviewed by:

Maria Robinson, MD, MBA

Maria Robinson, MD, MBA, is a board-certified dermatologist and dermatopathologist who has practiced dermatology and dermatopathology for over 10 years across private practice, academic, and telehealth settings. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology and the American Society of Dermatopathology.

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