Lay summary
The risk of being hospitalised due to shingles (zoster) is five times higher for people with weakened immune systems than for the general population. The shingles vaccine is currently funded for people aged 65 years, and certain groups at increased risk of shingles from age 18 years and above. Most clinical studies of shingles vaccines exclude people with weakened immune systems. If a vaccine is effective and safe it reduces the burden of disease and improves quality of life. We aim to understand the burden of disease from shingles in people with weakened immune systems. We will evaluate the uptake, effectiveness, and safety of the shingles vaccine against severe zoster-related outcomes in people with weakened immune systems in Aotearoa. The information generated will be vital for informing policymakers, practitioners, and the public of the relative benefits of a shingles vaccination programme. Findings will also inform programmatic and regulatory actions.