N.L. expanding free shingles vaccine to all residents over 50 by September

Alex Kennedy · CBC News

· Posted: May 15, 2025 1:37 PM EDT | Last Updated: 4 minutes ago

The Newfoundland and Labrador authorities announced it's expanding accessibility to the escaped shingles vaccine to radical 50 and older by September, but volition commencement with making it disposable to immunocompromised seniors connected June 1.

Premier John Hogan made the announcement connected Thursday, pursuing done connected a committedness helium archetypal made during his run for Liberal enactment past month.

In a quality release, the Department of Health and Community Services said that immunocompromised residents betwixt the ages of 50 and 64 volition beryllium capable to entree the vaccine connected June 1, with each different resident over 50 years aged gaining entree connected Sept. 1.

The state presently offers the vaccine to seniors who are 65 and older, and to those older than 70 and are immunocompromised. In March, then interim health curate John Haggie announced the state would summation that entree connected June 1.

Shingles comes from the varicella-zoster microorganism (VZV), which besides causes chickenpox and tin origin rashes and lifelong nervus pain.

At the time, Progressive Conservative wellness professional Barry Petten called it a governmental move.

This week in the House of Assembly, the enactment wanted to marque definite Hogan would instrumentality to his word.

During question play inside the House of Assembly connected Monday, PC Leader Tony Wakeham asked respective times if Hogan would grow the vaccine's availability.

Deputy premier Siobhan Coady and Health Minister Krista Lynn Howell answered successful spot of Hogan the archetypal 3 times the question was asked. 

Hogan answered the 4th clip around. 

"We volition present vaccines to everybody implicit the property of 50 for shingles," helium said.

The announced enlargement comes 3 days aft that exchange, and conscionable 1 time aft the 2025-26 provincial fund was passed successful the House.

Download our free CBC News app to motion up for propulsion alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Sign up for our daily headlines newsletter here. Click here to sojourn our landing page.