Shingles vaccine programme to be reinstated

The shingles vaccine programme is expected to be reinstated in January

A shingles vaccination programme is set to be reinstated by Manx Care in January following suspension of the service in April last year.

The pause followed recommendations by the joint committee on vaccination and immunisation to use a new product and change the eligibility criteria and dosage.

Health and Social Care Minister Claire Christian said the suspension stemmed from the new product having a "significantly higher cost".

But she said the department had since instructed the programme be resumed with the additional funding coming from its allocated budget, she said.

Christian told the House of Keys the programme would be up and running again by the end of January and communications were being prepared to provide patients with further details.

Public Health Directorate expected and had planned for a 40% uptake in the service and those eligible included those over the age of 65 and those with weakened immune systems over the age of 50.

Jason Moorhouse MHK questioned how many individuals had missed out on the jabs because of the suspension, while former health minister Lawrie Hooper asked about the long-term funding of the programme.

Christian said public health estimated that 3,000 people would have been affected by the pause but noted that not all of those would have taken up the vaccination.

She said the additional funding for the new vaccination product was provided on a yearly basis and the department was looking at future "scoping costs".