Serious side effect: one of the COVID-19 vaccines can cause shingles

Experts have found that herpes infection can be a side effect of the COVID-19 vaccine. Writes about it New York Post.

Scientists from Israel have identified six cases of the disease in a new study in patients who developed a skin rash known as shingles after being vaccinated with Pfizer.

Shingles starts out as a mild, itchy skin rash, but if left untreated, it can cause nerve damage and pain.

Symptoms may include a prolonged burning sensation on the skin even after the rash has cleared.

Researchers at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center and Carmel Medical Center in Haifa found that people with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases have a higher risk of developing infection.

Of the 491 patients, six, or 1,2%, had the infection, the researchers said.

On the subject: COVID-19 vaccination: answers to the most common questions

All six patients had mild cases of autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases and were young, although infection is generally more common in people over 50.

“That's why we reported it,” said Dr. Victoria Furer.

Five of them developed herpes zoster after the first dose, and the sixth after the second. But it's still unclear if the vaccine caused herpes.

“At this point, we cannot say that the vaccine is the cause,” Furer said. "We can say that in some patients this may be a trigger."

Furer said further research is needed, and one possible conclusion could be that patients with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases should be vaccinated against shingles before being vaccinated against COVID-19.

“We shouldn't scare people,” she said. "The overall goal is to vaccinate."