A single vaccination to protect against shingles will be offered to people over the age of 70, the Scottish Government has announced.

A special "catch up" programme to guard against the painful condition, related to chickenpox, will also be offered to all 79-year-olds.

Shingles can often flair up in older people whose immune system is weakened.

When people recover from chickenpox, most of the virus is destroyed but some survives and lies inactive in the nervous system.

Public Health Minister Michael Matheson said: "Shingles is a debilitating condition that is more likely to affect people, and to be more severe, as they grow older.

"For older people, shingles can be a significant cause of illness and pain, with many people developing a very painful and long lasting condition, Post Herpetic Neuralgia, which is why we are offering a new vaccination programme.

"The new vaccine could prevent many people from getting shingles and reduce the number of people that are hospitalised each year. With shingles, once you've had it, there is a chance that you could get it again, this vaccine will also reduce the risk of this happening.

"Our Scottish Immunisation Programme is continuing to bring great benefits to the health of the older population. With around 7,000 cases of shingles occurring in people aged 70 each year in Scotland, it's hugely important that people take up the invitation to get their vaccine and protect themselves against shingles."

The move is part of wider changes to routine immunisation in Scotland.

The seasonal flu programme will be extended to all two and three-year-old children from October and a rotavirus immunisation will be introduced for all babies in Scotland born on or after May 1 this year.