Shingles is due, in people who have had chickenpox, to a reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus. Until now, the recommendation in France was to vaccinate adults aged 65 to 74 with Zostavax.
The High Authority for Health (HAS) recommends vaccinating immunocompromised adults and those over 65 against shingles. The Academy of Medicine expressed concern in mid-January about low vaccination coverage for over-65s against four infectious diseases.