Support for shingles vaccination varies sharply by locality: among 218 public health centers offering assistance, 146, or 67%, supported only live vaccine, while 62 supported both live and recombinant vaccines and 10 supported recombinant vaccine alone. A review of 262 centers found that 44 offered no program, leaving residents with different access and vaccine choices based on where they live.
Infectious disease experts recommend recombinant vaccine first for adults aged 50 and older because of its effectiveness and durability, while live vaccine can be risky for people with weakened immunity or hematopoietic stem-cell transplants. Local eligibility, vaccine type, and medical suitability should therefore be checked with the relevant public health center before vaccination.