Health experts partnered with GSK to launch a nationwide awareness campaign on shingles, aiming to educate the public on its risks, impact, and prevention. Often overlooked, shingles can lead to serious complications, especially in older adults, with the risk sharply increasing at age 50.

Shingles, caused by the varicella-zoster virus, can develop in anyone previously exposed to chickenpox, as the virus lies dormant in nerve tissue and may reactivate later. The campaign aims to raise awareness about shingles' impact on quality of life, stress the importance of consulting a doctor for prevention, and provide accurate information from healthcare professionals and those with firsthand experience.

Shingles causes a painful skin rash that often blisters and scabs over in 10 to 15 days. According to dermatologist Dr. Irene Robredo-Vitas “Karamihan talaga ng may shingles ang unang una talagang nakakakita ay mga dermatologist.”

Beyond a rash, there is a significant chance that shingles can lead to serious complications. About 30 percent of patients with shingles will experience long-term nerve pain. One out of four patients with shingles can get infected near the eye which may lead to blindness in some cases.

According to an infectious diseases specialist, Dr. Rontgene Solante, “Shingles is not just an ordinary rash. It has complications that can lead to higher morbidity. It can lead to depression, anxiety, and it can also affect your vision. 

“A characteristic of shingles is that may tumutubo na mga rashes in one side of the body lang, but the more important characteristic is — ito ay napakasakit. It’s very uncomfortable to the point na yung iba, nahirapan silang mag damit, nahihirapan sila gawin housework nila, daily chores nila because of the severe pain," he further added

One of the guest panelists, Karen Davila, a journalist and shingles sufferer, shared her story to stress the importance of shingles awareness “I have had it twice. I felt depressed, scared, and honestly ashamed. I would not want anybody to experience that.”

There are myths and misconceptions surrounding shingles, and one of them is that it is a sexually transmitted disease. According to Dr. Rontgene Solante, “Hindi sexually transmitted ang shingles. Because the shingles virus is the same virus that causes chickenpox. When you get older, your immune system goes down and that’s when the chickenpox virus reactivates and can become shingles.”

No matter how healthy an individual feels, when age 50 or older, one is at risk because the immune system declines with age. Thus, it is crucial to consult a healthcare professional about shingles prevention today.