GSK launches shingles awareness campaign
MANILA, Philippines — Pharmaceutical company GSK has launched a nationwide awareness campaign regarding the risks, impact and prevention of the debilitating viral infection, shingles.
Also known as Herpes Zoster, singles, like chickenpox, is caused by the varicella-zoster virus. This means anyone who has contracted chickenpox may develop singles as the virus lies dormant in nerve tissue only to reactivate many years later.
The main focus of GSK's awareness campaign is how big an impact shingles can be to one's quality of life, the importance of doctor consultations, providing reliable information and correcting misconceptions about shingles.
Key parts of the campaign are a now-running website addressing knowledge gaps about shingles, commissioned sculptures displaying the physical and emotional pain, and video material to be distributed on multiple platforms.
Because shingles begin with a rash, most patients approach a dermatologist first before learning what they actually have is shingles.
Related: This warrior is 59: Gary Valenciano, predicted to die at 44, recalls winning over illnesses
During the campaign's launch last March 12 held in SM Aura's Samsung Hall, dermatologist Irene Robredo-Vitas described the apperances of shingles rashes as "dew drops on a rose petal."
According to the United States' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 30% of patients with shingles will experience long-term nerve pain, while a local study says one out of four patients infected near the eye may be blinded.
Infectious diseases specialist Dr. Rontgene Solante added that one in three patients over 50 years who had chickenpox in the past get shingles.
The doctor mentioned other factors that cause shingles. These include diabetes, HIV/AIDS, steroid use, COVID-19, chronic renal disease, and chronic respiratory conditions like asthma and smoking.
"Shingles is not an ordinary rash. It has complications that can lead to higher morbidity. It can lead to depression, anxiety, and it can also affect your vision," Solante also said, noting that the severe pain affects daily life.
Related: 150 kids with cancer 'graduate' from chemotherapy
Broadcast journalist Karen Davila has suffered shingles twice in the last decade, "To have it twice was quite alarming." She recalled suffering from electrifying pain in the forehead during the first time, while she experienced pain in the stomach area during the second time.
Another shingles survivor at the event, Nette Garcia, had shingles four times. The first time was when she was 36 years old and the second occurence was during the height of the pandemic.
Solante made it clear that shingles is not a sexually transmitted disease, reiterating its shared origins with chickenpox.
GSK and Davila are working on an information awareness packet about shingles, which will soon be released on the broadcast journalist's YouTube channel.
Davila also acknowledged that there are still some controversial takes on vaccines, which is why she is pushing for more doctor consultations.
