A campaigner for the shingles vaccines has said it is “ageist” that babies are being given a new chickenpox vaccine for free, while pensioners are still paying for a shingles jab. 

Some 23,000 people have signed an Active Retirement Group petition calling for the shingles vaccine to be provided for free to people over 65. 

Currently, the vaccine costs as much as €500, meaning many cannot afford it. 

On Lunchtime Live, Gerri Gavin from the ARG in Knocknacarra, Galway, said she and her friends have launched a local campaign to highlight the issue. 

“Not only is this vaccine very effective, the Shingrix vaccine, not only is it effective against shingles,” she explained. 

“But it's also been shown now to reduce dementia by 20 to 25% of people.

“Even Professor Luke O'Neill said that it was a no brainer not to have this vaccination.”

“We want the Government to allocate funds towards our vaccination so that it's included in the 2026 vaccination programme.”

Ms Gavin continued that the Government regularly reviews and updates its vaccine schedule. 

“Even last year, the HSE introduced a new vaccination of chickenpox for babies in 2025,” she said. 

“So, I really believe it's a bit ageist that we're not being treated in a similar manner.”

Ms Gavin added that a great many elderly people in Ireland worry about contracting the shingles, noting that the disease is painful and the impact of it can be long lasting. 

“With shingles, you don't just get it once, you can actually get it two or three times - and a lot of people aren't aware of that,” she said. 

“You only have to get this in your eye and you can possibly be blind. 

“If it goes along your facial nerves, you have to go into hospitals to get it sorted. 

“So, there's a lot of downsides to this infection together with this nerve pain that can actually be lifelong.”

Main image: A woman getting a vaccine. Picture by: Alamy.com.