Shingles vaccine for 70, 78 and 79-year-olds
Older residents in Dudley, aged 70, 78 and 79, are being encouraged to protect themselves against shingles with a free vaccine.
The shingles vaccine is being offered at GP surgeries across the borough and, unlike a flu jab, you only need to have it once.
Shingles is a painful skin rash caused by the reactivation of the same virus that causes chicken pox in children.
While it can affect all age groups, it tends to affect people more as they get older, especially over the age of 70.
Some are left with pain lasting for years after the initial rash has healed, and it can be fatal for around 1 in 1,000 people over the age of 70 who develop it.
For further information, speak to your GP or practice nurse or visit the NHS Choices website at www.nhs.uk/shingles