You might have heard that the Ministry of Health (MOH) will be extending subsidies and MediSave usage for the shingles vaccine, Shingrix.
Here’s what you should know about it.
TLDR: What is Shingrix?
If you haven’t already heard of Shingrix, you’ve either never had chickenpox, or you’re too young to be concerned about shingles. But fret not — we’re here to tell you all about Shingrix.
According to MOH, Shingrix is the only vaccine currently registered with Singapore’s Health Sciences Authority (HSA) for the prevention of shingles.
It is a recombinant herpes zoster vaccine, which essentially means that it does not contain the live virus which causes shingles, the Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV). The VZV is also the same virus which causes chickenpox.
Instead, the vaccine only contains the shingles “code” for the body to recognise and build immunity from.
It’s sort of like a cheatsheet for your body to figure out how to combat shingles, without having to actually combat shingles. It’s like putting your body through a mock test so that it would know what to do during an actual exam.
The Shingrix vaccine, which is produced by the British pharmaceutical company GSK, was first approved for use in Singapore in 2021.
However, the Shingrix vaccine isn’t cheap. Currently, the cost of two doses of the vaccination is about $900 to $950.
While it is a clinically effective vaccine providing more than 90% protection against shingles, it has never been part of Singapore’s population health measures due to its high price — until now.
After extensive discussions between MOH and GSK, the two have now agreed on a reduced price that is commensurate with Shingrix’s benefits.
And that’s why the Shingrix vaccine will soon also be part of Singapore’s population health measures, with MOH extending subsidies and MediSave usage for Shingrix for eligible Singaporeans and Permanent Residents (PRs).
MOH Extending Subsidies and MediSave Usage for Shingrix to Eligible Singaporeans and Permanent Residents
Turning now to the million-dollar question — how much can you expect to pay for the Shingrix vaccine?
Well, thanks to MOH having accepted the Drug Advisory Committee and Expert Committee on Immunisation’s recommendation to include Shingrix in the Subsidised Vaccine List and Natoinal Adult Immunisation Schedule (NAIS), you’ll be enjoying quite a large sum of subsidies for the Shingrix vaccine lah.
From September 2025, eligible Singaporeans and Permanent Residents (PRs) can enjoy means-tested subsidies of up to 75% at CHAS GP clinics, polyclinics and MOH-funded long-term care institutions.
So, who are these “eligible Singaporeans and PRs”? Here’s a hint: those at risk of shingles are mainly those from the older generation and those with a compromised immune system.
Yes, you guessed it — “eligible Singaporeans and PRs” refer to Singaporeans and PRs aged 60 or older, or aged 18 and above with a compromised immune system.
After subsidies, Singaporeans from the Pioneer Generation (born on or before 31 December 1949) can expect to pay only $75 to $150 for both doses of the Shingrix vaccine. Singaporeans from the Merdeka Generation (those bornbetween 1 January 1950 and 31 December 1959) can expect to pay between $112.50 and $225 for both doses of the Shingrix vaccine.
Other eligible adult Singaporeans (those aged 18 and above with a compromised immune system) can expect to pay between $150 and $300 for both doses of the Shingrix vaccine.
And for eligible PRs, you’ll just have to pay $450 for both doses of the Shingrix vaccine.
Compared to the current price of up to $950 for the vaccine, these subsidies are truly quite heng, ong, huat.
But that’s not all. From 2026 onwards, MOH will also allow the post-subsidy cost of the vaccines to be paid using MediSave. In other words, it’s possible that you won’t even have to fork out a single cent in cash for your shingles vaccination.
More details will be provided on the MediSave schemes closer to the implementation date.
Why Should You Get the Shingrix Vaccine?
If you’re still wondering whether you should get the Shingrix vaccine, here’s some reasons why you should.
In Singapore, an estimated 30,000 people suffer from shingles each year. But the Shingrix vaccine could bring these numbers down — the vaccine provides more than 90% protection against shingles, although its effectiveness may be reduced for older people and those with a weakened immune system.
But hey, having a certain extent of protection from shingles is better than no protection at all, right?
Further, the protection provided by the Shingrix vaccine lasts at least 11 years, or possibly even longer. That’s quite a good deal in our books.
If you’ve had chickenpox before, you may also be at risk of getting shingles, since the two diseases are caused by the same virus — VZV. The VZV from your prior brush with chickenpox may remain dormant in your body and flare up later in life as shingles.
So, why risk it? If you’ve ever had people around you get shingles, you’d know how painful it could be — shingles can bring intense pain with even a slightest touch to the rash blisters.
Even wearing a shirt which is in contact with the rash blisters could be painful.
Other symptoms coupled with shingles also include fever, headache, chills or stomach upset. And for older adults, a common complication of shingles is a type of nerve pain which could be severe and long-lasting even after the shingles rashes have cleared.
Rare complications that come with shingles also include lung infection, brain inflammation, hearing loss or blindness.
Thanks to MOH extending subsidies and MediSave usage to the Shingrix vaccine, you can now pay a small price to avoid all of those nasty symptoms lah. So, why not?
As the GSK Singapore general manager Raakhi Sippy said, MOH’s decision to extend subsidies and MediSave usage for Shingrix “ensures that people in Singapore have access to the vaccine, where and when they need it, and plays a crucial role in safeguarding the health, well-being and prosperity of the rapidly ageing society.”
So, will you be getting the Shingrix vaccine?
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