Penghu Hospital Offers Shingles Vaccinations to Protect Residents from the “Skin Snake” Threat

Penghu Hospital is offering a newer non-live shingles vaccine as the island county seeks to strengthen protection for older residents and people at higher risk.

The vaccine, Shingrix, aims to reduce outbreaks of shingles, known locally as “skin snake,” as well as the severe nerve pain that can follow. The disease does not result from a newly acquired virus. Instead, the virus that causes childhood chickenpox can remain dormant in nerve tissue and reactivate later in life.

Physician Li Tzu-ling said reactivation can be associated with aging, exhaustion, stress, chronic illness or weakened immunity. Early symptoms may include pain, burning, numbness or extreme sensitivity on one side of the skin. Clusters of blisters can then appear along a nerve pathway.

Li said the blisters are not always the most troubling part of the illness. Postherpetic neuralgia can disrupt sleep and mood and reduce quality of life. If the infection affects areas near the eyes, ears or face, it can also lead to complications involving vision, hearing or facial nerves.

Penghu County offers eligible residents aged 65 and above a NT$4,000 subsidy for the second dose. Applicants must have been registered residents for at least three years, while the first dose remains self-funded. Li said vaccination does not guarantee lifelong protection, but can lower the chance of illness and may reduce severe disease and lasting nerve pain if infection occurs.

“

Postherpetic neuralgia