SAYRE, P.A. (WENY) — There is some level of hesitancy over the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine, especially for people who are at a higher risk of getting sick. One doctor says vaccines can't trigger other diseases.

Cases of shingles are not uncommon, especially in people over the age of 55. Dr. Micheal Scalzone, chief quality officer for Guthrie hospital, says he's seen some cases pop up around the time of someone's COVID-19 vaccine.

"Somewhere about 1 in 3 to 1 in 4 individuals will have shingles in a lifetime. It's more common as you get older, but it's really a very common problem." 

According to Dr. Scalzone, a case of shingles can be triggered by stress.

"So what else is happening around the time that someone is getting a vaccination, could there be a coincidental aspect that other stressors are happening in life? That's certainly possible." 

Doctors say people who have shingles can experience two or three flare-ups in a year. 

"You have a pretty large number of people who are going to have an outbreak regardless of if they're vaccinated or not," Scalzone said.

According to Dr. Scalzone, cases of highly infectious diseases tend to pop-up after almost any vaccination.

"Again, a relatively common problem in large populations. I think it is happening, but I think it's important to realize it was going to happen anyway. It's probably not an increased chance for those who get the vaccine," Scalzone said.

Health officials say there's no scientific evidence that the COVID-19 vaccine is linked to shingles.

"I believe statistically, the vaccine probably is not triggering a shingles outbreak. It is probably more coincidental than it is a cause of shingles."

Dr. Scalzone says this coincidence applies to other infectious diseases.

"It's really difficult for a vaccine for one infection to trigger an infection for another disease like mononucleosis," Scalzone said.

Doctors encourage people to get the COVID-19 vaccine and their yearly shingles vaccine. As a precaution, Dr. Scalzone recommends scheduling the vaccines two weeks apart.