Gracie Abrams headline unavailable from verified facts
Ed Sheeran said this week that he has been battling shingles for the last month and is now on the mend. The singer and songwriter made the disclosure in a social media post while saying he plans to restart the Loop tour in a week and a bit.
Sheeran, 35, tied the health update to a break before the North American leg of the tour, which is slated to start in May in the Dominican Republic. He wrote, "Ive had shingles for the last month, wouldn’t recommend it, but on the mend now."
Sheeran's month-long update
The one-month timeline is the part that changes the picture here. Sheeran was already between legs of a touring cycle that began earlier this year in New Zealand and Australia, so the message lands as a status update from the road rather than a cancellation note.
He also wrote, "Restarting the loop tour in a week and a bit, cant wait to get back cracking on that, see you lovely people there," which points to a quick return to the stage. For fans with tickets, that is the key operational detail: he said he expects to be back soon, not later this year.
Why 35 stands out
Shingles is a rash-causing illness that can be painful, itchy or tingly, and it happens when the varicella-zoster virus reactivates after someone has already had chickenpox. The source notes that shingles is somewhat rare at 35, with about half of all cases occurring in adults age 60 or older and the chance rising much more by 70.
That age gap is why Sheeran's update reads differently from a routine tour post. Everyone who has had chickenpox is at risk, and around 1 in 3 people develop shingles in their lifetime in America, but the illness is still weighted toward older adults.
Loop tour in May
The practical next step is the May return for the North American leg, starting in the Dominican Republic. Sheeran said he expects to be back by then, which gives the tour a short runway and puts the focus on whether his recovery continues on schedule.
The CDC says the best way to prevent shingles is with the vaccine, and recommends 2 doses for adults 50 and up who are suffering from shingles. Shingrix is also recommended for adults 19 years and older who have weakened immune systems because of disease or therapy.
