The B.C. government's decision to not fund the shingles vaccine for seniors has sparked a debate. While the vaccine is proven to prevent severe pain and even lower dementia risk, seniors' advocate Laura Tamblyn Watts argues that it's an unfair burden on B.C. seniors to have to pay for it.
'Shingles can cause severe blisters, pain and burning on the torso, limbs or face. For one in five people with shingles, the long-term nerve pain can go on for months or years,' says the Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) website.
The vaccine, Shingrix, is 97% effective for those 50 to 69 and offers 91% protection in the over 70 age group, VCH says. It lasts about 12 years. Eligible Indigenous people 60 years of age and older can receive the shingles vaccine at no cost.
'The highest housing costs in the country and some of the highest housing costs in the world, plus the cost of fuel… the additional surcharges in the Lower Mainland area and Sea to Sky are profound, and the cost of groceries is skyrocketing,' Tamblyn Watts said.
'The amount that we save—even if you weren't caring about people not going blind, even if you weren't caring about the opioids [to treat shingles], even if you weren't caring about the pain and suffering of people for this incredibly easily preventable disease, even if you weren't caring about the fact that it's recurrent and is going to come back time and time and time again. The fact is, the economies are so profound, it makes absolutely no sense, particularly in stretched health care systems.'
'Despite strong recommendations for vaccination, lack of public funding and limited surveillance hinder efforts to protect older adults from the significant pain, complications, and healthcare costs associated with shingles. The economic impact, already estimated at millions annually, underscores the need for urgent action,' reads the conclusion of the May 2025 "Shingles Matters Driving Provincial Policy in Canada," policy brief by the International Federation on Ageing.
'Across Canada, nearly one in three people develop shingles, despite the availability of the vaccine,' said Premier Tim Houston. 'That’s why we are delivering on our promise of removing barriers to access and making the shingles vaccine free.'
'If you do have an employer and it's union or non-union, one of the things you can actively do is lobby your employer to cover all NACI-recommended vaccines,' Tamblyn Watts said. 'But this is very much the job of government—let's be clear. Governments should be doing this.'
