Easy Ways to Get the Shingles Vaccine on a Busy Schedule

If you haven’t gotten your shingles vaccine (Shingrix) yet, even though you’re eligible, there might be one big reason.

“Inconvenience is a number one reason I would say that folks told me that they can’t get their shingles vaccine,” says Stella Safo, MD, Primary Care Physician at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. “They’re busy, it’s hard for them to get to their doctor for a visit, their doctor’s office may be far away, or they don’t have time to take off work to make an appointment.”

Safo urges people to consider that if they do develop shingles, a painful rash caused by the same virus as chickenpox, they may experience complications like postherpetic neuralgia. This is intense and long-term pain and tingling caused by nerve damage from shingles. 

In other words, even though seeking out the vaccine can feel inconvenient, actually getting shingles may have a much bigger disruption to your life.

What are easy ways to get the shingles vaccine?

If it’s too inconvenient to go to your doctor’s office to get your shingles vaccine, there are a number of easy alternative ways to get it.

1. Get Shingrix at a nearby pharmacy

For example, once your primary care provider clears you for the shingles vaccine, you can go get it at your local pharmacy. This may be helpful if your pharmacy is closer to your home than the doctor’s office.

2. Check for nearby vaccine clinics

If not there, your local public health office may offer vaccine clinics that you can go to. Some of those clinics may even come to you to give you the shot.

3. Get your shingles vaccine while you pick up groceries

Also, many grocery stores have pharmacies inside. If you’re pressed for time, you can fold a shingles vaccine into a grocery shopping trip. Because the two doses of the shingles vaccine are given between 2 and 6 months apart, you can schedule your second dose for another time when you’re picking up groceries.

4. Ask for the shingles vaccine at your annual wellness exam

Another idea is to schedule your shingles vaccine at your annual wellness exam appointment. This way, you streamline your doctor visits into a single visit. However, you would still need to return to the doctor in order to get your second dose.

5. Plan ahead to minimize vaccine side effects

Some people might avoid getting the shingles vaccine because they don’t have time to deal with side effects. Luckily, this doesn’t need to be a concern. It’s recommended to take it easy, but this means avoiding rigorous sports, exercise, or activities. Most people don’t have to change their routines drastically.

Plan to take a dose of acetaminophen (Tylenol) before you get your shot. This may help reduce potential side effects, like a sore arm or slight fever. You can also ice the injection site.

Remember, if you do develop shingles after getting the vaccine, you’re more likely to have mild symptoms. You may also have a lower risk of complications, such as postherpetic neuralgia.

“[In general], the benefit of getting the vaccine really far outweighs any of the risks that individuals may be concerned about,” says Safo.

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Written by:

Marisa Taylor Karas

Marisa Taylor Karas is a freelance journalist based in Brooklyn who has covered health, gender, and technology for 15 years. She previously worked at The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, and Al Jazeera America, among other publications, and also served as managing editor of the Mellon Foundation in New York City.

Reviewed by:

Alexandra Schwarz, MD

Alexandra Schwarz, MD, is a board-eligible sleep medicine physician and a board-certified family medicine physician. She is a member of both the AASM and the ABFM.

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