New vaccines offered for elderly in Iceland

Iceland's Directorate of Health has significantly expanded the availability of two crucial vaccines targeting individuals over the age of sixty. These vaccines offer protection against shingles, a condition caused by the same herpes virus as chickenpox, and pneumococcal infections, a bacterial illness that can lead to serious ear or lung infections, particularly in young children and adults over 60.

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It has been very difficult to get these vaccines and they have been brought to Iceland through various detours, as the manufacturer of the drug did not focus on marketing them here. Now that has changed, which has significantly lowered their prices, making them comparable to prices in the Nordic countries.

While the vaccines themselves are not new, they have been difficult to obtain in Iceland for some time. Kamilla Sigríður Jósefsdóttir, Chief Epidemiologist at the Directorate of Health, explained that supply issues have largely been resolved. "It has been very difficult to get these vaccines and they have been brought to Iceland through various detours, as the manufacturer of the drug did not focus on marketing them here," she told mbl.is. "Now that has changed, which has significantly lowered their prices, making them comparable to prices in the Nordic countries."

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These vaccines are very good and are primarily intended for people at particular risk of getting shingles, which is all of us after a certain age. The vaccines are therefore intended for people in their fifties, but we emphasize more that people over sixty should consider getting vaccinated.

Jósefsdóttir emphasized the benefits of both vaccines. The shingles vaccine is recommended for everyone over fifty, but particularly for those over sixty. Furthermore, emerging research from a comprehensive study in Wales suggests a potential secondary benefit: individuals receiving the shingles vaccine may have a reduced risk of developing dementia for at least six months post-vaccination.

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There have also been indications that those who receive the shingles vaccine are at lower risk of developing dementia.

The pneumococcal vaccine is also highlighted as "one of the most underestimated vaccines we have in Iceland." The Directorate strongly encourages everyone over 60 to get vaccinated against pneumococcal disease, citing its importance in preventing serious infections. The increased availability and comparable pricing aim to make these preventative health measures more accessible to the target population.

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We also want to encourage people to get the pneumonia vaccine because it is one of the most underestimated vaccines we have in Iceland and has not been used much, and we encourage everyone who has reached the age of 60 to get it.