Herpes zoster after COVID-19 vaccination: A case series

ABSTRACT

Introduction@#The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused a global health crisis, necessitating the development of vaccines. An emerging cutaneous reaction is herpes zoster.@*Case Series@#We present 7 cases of Filipino patients who developed herpes zoster after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Four patients received Sinovac Biotech Ltd (CoronaVac), 2 patients received Oxford AstraZeneca, and 1 patient received Pfizer-BioN- Tech (COMIRNATY). Five patients developed herpes zoster after their first dose of the vaccine, while 2 patients developed herpes zoster after their second dose. All patients were prescribed anti-viral medication, after which resolution of the lesions was observed.@*Conclusion@#As more vaccines are administered, further surveillance is necessary to expand our understanding of a possible association between herpes zoster and COVID-19 vaccines. Additionally, awareness of cutaneous reactions following COVID-19 vaccines and their disease course can contribute to shifting the attitude towards pro-vaccination.