AN OFFICIAL WITH THE NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SAYS A SHINGLES VACCINE SHORTAGE COULD LAST FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR. INFECTIOUS DISEASE BUREAU CHIEF DAN BURKE TELLS NEWSRADIO KKOB THERE’S BEEN A RUN ON THE NEW SHINGRIX VACCINE BECAUSE IT’S MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE THAN THE OLD ONE. HE SAYS SHINGLES CAN BE VERY SERIOUS, INCLUDING THE POSSIBILITY OF VISION LOSS. BURKE SAYS THE OLD VACCINE, ZOSTAVAX, WAS 50 TO 60 PERCENT EFFECTIVE. THE NEW VACCINE IS MORE THAN 90-PERCENT EFFECTIVE.
