A new study suggests that the shingles vaccine may help prevent dementia by reducing the risk of varicella-zoster virus reactivation.

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  • celeste@kbin.earth
    3·
    2 days ago

    Ow, that sounds awful! I’m sorry you went through that.

    I think I get it now. It hasn’t been tested for under 50 year olds because there’s no real reason to get vaccinated if you have a healthy immune system, right? You just wouldn’t get it.

    I was wondering if there was some known harm caused by the dead virus vaccine, but it doesn’t seem like it. Like, if you get shingles, it’s because the virus is already hanging out in you, so it’s not like measles where the virus is introduced for the first time to prep your system. Prepping for shingles doesn’t make sense unless there’s a reason to think your immune system will fail. The virus is already there.

    I think it helps me get it to think of the group who gets vaccinated as entirely people who are immunocompromised. 50+ is just a category inherently part of that group. If I got vaccinated now, it would serve zero purpose.

    Thanks for your answer! I hope you never have to deal with shingles ever again.

    • Tollana1234567@lemmy.today
      2·
      2 days ago

      allegedly, people in that shingle sub said they got it under 50, for at least one guy it triggered some inflammation that damaged his “oats” temporarily, and another triggered shingles anyways. theres too much misinformation about taking it under 50. im guessing the stronger immune response would cause more inflammation than it useful, and since theres isnt really that much studies for under 50, you still can get shingles anyways. for 50+ the older you are, the more severe it is, so the shingles help reduce that effect, just dont know for people under 50, as the mentioned side effects. unless you are immunocompromised already, your provider/insurance wont reccomend at all. i think thats probably the only instance of getting under 50.