A new government-led programme starting this September will see people in their 70’s being offered a vaccine against shingles.
Experts have recommended routine immunisation against shingles for some years, with the elderly being at greater risk of developing the disease.
It is estimated that the vaccination could prevent nearly half of cases in those over 70.
Approximately 800,000 people aged 70 and 79 in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and people aged 78 and 79 in Wales, will be eligible to receive the vaccination in the first year, with the programme expanding to include more of those in the 70-79 group over the next few years.
The Department of Health said the scheme would cost around £25m a year in England but would result in fewer hospital stays, doctors appointments and prescriptions, saving the NHS nearly £20m a year.
Shingles is triggered by the same virus as chickenpox, herpes varicella zoster, and affects the nerves and the skin. It is caused when an old chickenpox infection is reactivated and in its most severe form can cause hearing loss or brain swelling.
A spokesman for the DOH said: “Shingles can be a nasty disease for older people and can lead to long-term health problems for around 14,000 people each year.
“This new vaccine can prevent some of the most serious cases, giving people the chance to live without the discomfort and pain that shingles causes.”