Shingles: Symptoms, treatment, and causes

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• Evaluate ingredients and composition: Do they have the potential to cause harm?
• Fact-check all health claims: Do they align with the current body of scientific evidence?
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Read more about our vetting process.

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Shingles is a viral infection that results from the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), the same virus that causes chickenpox. It typically affects a single sensory nerve ganglion and the skin surface that the nerve supplies.

Anyone who has had chickenpox can later develop shingles.

In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 1 in 3 people in the United States develop shingles during their lifetime.

People can develop shingles if they had chickenpox in the past. This virus can lie dormant for years, and then reactivate as shingles. A person who has not had chickenpox before can get chickenpox through exposure to someone with shingles.

Shingles is most common after the age of 50, but it can appear at any age if a person has previously had chickenpox.

In this article, learn more about shingles, including symptoms, complications, and treatments.

Shingles usually affects one side of the body. This is most often the waist, chest, abdomen, or back. Symptoms can also appear on the face and in the eyes, mouth, ears. The virus can also affect some internal organs.

Shingles typically affects a single sensory nerve ganglion near the spinal cord, called a dorsal root ganglion. This is why the symptoms occur in specific areas of the body, rather than all over it. The pain results from nerve involvement, rather than the rash itself.

Symptoms can vary in nature, depending on where on the body they appear.

Some people have pain but no rash. Others may have a rash with pain that is accompanied by other symptoms, such as fever, chills, or headache.

Most common symptoms

Some of the most common symptoms of shingles include:

• a constant dull, burning, or gnawing pain, or a sharp, stabbing pain that comes and goes
• a skin rash that resembles a chickenpox rash but only affects certain areas
• fluid-filled blisters that develop as part of the rash

Symptoms on the body

A blistering skin rash may appear in one or more distinct bands with sensory nerves of the skin, called dermatomes.

Common locations for this include:

• the chest
• the abdomen
• the back
• around the waist

It usually occurs only on one side of the body.

The location of the symptoms will depend on which dermatome distribution the virus affects.

Facial symptoms

If the rash affects the face, symptoms usually appear on one side only — usually around one eye and the forehead.

They can include:

• pain over the affected dermatome
• a rash
• muscle weakness
• headache

Eye symptoms

If the virus affects an ophthalmic nerve, it means that a person has herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO).

This can cause pain, redness, and swelling in and around the eye, as well as temporary or permanent loss of vision.

Ear symptoms

Shingles can also occur in or around the ear, leading to problems with balance and hearing, as well as muscle weakness on the affected side of the face.

These changes can be long-term or even permanent.

A person who develops symptoms in or around the ears and eyes should seek immediate medical attention to reduce the risk of complications.

Mouth symptoms

If shingles affects the mouth, a person may experience:

• facial tenderness
• pain in the mouth
• toothache
• lesions in hard and soft palate tissues

The pain and discomfort of these symptoms can make it difficult to eat or drink.

Internal shingles

Shingles can also affect the internal organs. There will not be a rash, but other problems can arise.

For example, researchers have found evidence of shingles in the digestive system, which can lead to gastrointestinal dysfunction, and in the arteries in the brain, which may increase the risk of stroke and dementia.

Other symptoms

There may also be other symptoms, including:

• fever
• fatigue
• chills
• headache
• upset stomach

Symptom progression

Symptoms typically progress as follows:

• Pain, tingling, numbness, and itching start to affect a specific part of the skin.
• After up to 2 weeks, a rash appears.
• Red blotches and itchy, fluid-filled blisters develop and continue to do so for 3–5 days.
• The blisters may merge, forming a solid red band that looks similar to a severe burn. The gentlest touch may be painful.
• Inflammation may affect the soft tissue under and around the rash.
• After 7–10 days, the blisters gradually dry up and form scabs or crusts. As the blisters disappear, they may leave minor scarring.

Shingles usually lasts around 2–4 weeks. It is contagious until the blisters dry up and crust over.

Most people will only have an episode of shingles once, but it can recur in some people.

When to see a doctor

Getting treatment shortly after the onset of symptoms can help decrease the duration and severity of infection.

This is especially important for people over 60 and those who have a weakened immune system, as this could increase the risk of developing serious complications.

If the rash continues spreading to other parts of the body or other symptoms occur, such as high fever, it is best to consult with a doctor.

Additionally, those who develop a rash near the eye should seek immediate medical attention, as this can be a sign of HZO. The condition can cause scarring, vision loss, and permanent eye damage if left untreated.

A doctor may prescribe antiviral drugs to stop the virus from multiplying.

Antiviral treatment can help with:

• reducing the severity and duration of symptoms
• preventing complications from developing
• lowering the risk of the rash coming back

In addition to antiviral drugs, there are several other ways to help manage symptoms, including:

• using pain relief medication
• reducing stress as much as possible
• eating regular, nutritious meals
• getting some gentle exercise
• wearing loose fitting clothes for comfort
• doing relaxing activities that will reduce stress and take a person’s mind off the pain, such as watching television, reading books, socializing, listening to music, or engaging in hobbies

To relieve itching, the CDC recommends:

• applying calamine lotion
• taking a lukewarm, oatmeal bath
• placing a cool, damp washcloth on the blisters

Calamine lotion is available for purchase online.

Learn more home remedies for itching here.

Most people will recover with home treatment, but a person should seek medical help if other symptoms appear, such as a fever. Around 1–4% of people will need to spend time in the hospital due to complications.

Shingles results from VZV, the same virus that causes chickenpox. After a person recovers from chickenpox, the virus remains dormant in the sensory ganglia of their cranial nerve or the dorsal root ganglia within the peripheral nervous system.

VZV belongs to a group of viruses called herpes viruses. This is why shingles also has the name “herpes zoster.”

All herpes viruses can hide in the nervous system, where they can remain indefinitely in a latent state.

Under the right conditions, the herpes zoster virus can reactivate, similarly to waking up from hibernation, and travel down nerve fibers to cause a new active infection.

What triggers this is not usually clear, but it may happen when something weakens the immune system, prompting the virus to reactivate.

It is not possible to directly transmit shingles to another person. However, a person who has never had chickenpox can contract the virus by coming into direct contact with the fluid in the blisters of a person who currently has shingles.

If this happens, and the person has not received a vaccination against chickenpox, they would develop chickenpox first, not shingles.

Shingles does not spread through coughing or sneezing. Only direct contact with fluid from the blisters can spread the virus. Therefore, covering the blisters reduces the risk of contagion.

It is important to note that the virus is only active from when the blisters first appear to when they dry up and crust over. Transmission is not possible before the blisters develop or after the crusts form. If a person does not develop blisters, the virus cannot spread in the traditional sense.

Taking the following precautions can help prevent the transmission of the virus:

• covering the rash
• washing the hands often
• avoiding touching or scratching the rash

It is also important for someone with shingles to avoid contact with:

• infants who are preterm or have a low birth weight
• pregnant people who have never had chickenpox or the vaccine for it
• those with a weakened immune system

Doctors usually diagnose shingles through a physical exam by evaluating the appearance of the rash and blisters on the body.

In some cases, they may collect a tissue sample from the fluid of the blisters and send it to a lab to check if the virus is present.

They may also conduct a blood test to look for antibodies, which can determine whether a person has ever been exposed to the virus.

Vaccination can offer protection from both chickenpox and shingles.

For children: Chickenpox vaccine

Experts recommend routine immunization with the varicella vaccine (chickenpox vaccine) during childhood.

With two doses of the vaccine, there is at least a 90% chance of preventing chickenpox. Preventing chickenpox will also prevent shingles.

Children should receive the first dose at 12–15 months. The second dose is at 4–6 years.

Tests have shown the vaccine to be safe, though some children may experience:

• pain at the injection site
• a fever and a mild rash
• temporary joint pain and stiffness

Since vaccination started in children, the number of shingles cases has dropped.

Are vaccines safe or not? Learn more here.

Also, click here to learn more about the brands of childhood chickenpox vaccines.

For older adults: Shingles vaccine

A different vaccine, the herpes zoster vaccine, is available for people aged 50 and older who have had chickenpox and therefore carry VZV. Experts also recommend this vaccine for those who have not had chickenpox or shingles.

In the U.S., 99.5% of people born before 1980 already have this virus in their system. The herpes zoster vaccine can help prevent shingles in people who already have the virus.

The options available are Zostavax and a newer vaccine called Shingrix.

After two doses of Shingrix, a person will have more than 90% protection against shingles, falling to just above 85% after 4 years, according to the CDC.

Who should not have the vaccine?

People who should not have the shingles vaccine without first discussing it with their doctor include those who:

• have an allergy to any component of the shingles vaccine
• have a weakened immune system
• are or might be pregnant

Although anyone who has had chickenpox can develop shingles, some people may be at a higher risk.

Possible risk factors and triggers include:

• older age
• certain cancers or cancer treatment options
• HIV
• treatments that suppress the immune system
• stress or trauma

Complications

Rarely, complications can arise — especially in people with an impaired immune system.

Possible complications of shingles include:

• postherpetic neuralgia (PHN)
• inflammation of the brain or spinal cord, increasing the risk of stroke, encephalitis, and meningitis
• eye and vision problems
• weakness
• problems with balance and hearing
• damage to blood vessels, which could lead to stroke
• pneumonia

According to the CDC, around 10–18% of people who have shingles will develop PHN, a long-term complication in which the pain of a shingles rash lasts long beyond the rash itself.

It is more likely to occur if a person develops shingles after the age of 40, and the risk continues to increase with age.

In people with weak immune systems

People with a weakened immune system will have a higher risk of developing shingles and of experiencing severe symptoms and complications.

This includes people who:

• have cancer, especially leukemia or lymphoma
• have HIV
• have undergone an organ transplant
• are taking medications to suppress the immune system, including chemotherapy drugs

These people should seek medical attention as soon as possible if they have concerns about shingles-related symptoms.

What other precautions should a person take if they have a weak immune system? Find out here.

Anyone who has had chickenpox can develop shingles.

Most people make a full recovery from shingles within 3–5 weeks, but some experience severe complications. Those most at risk are people with a weakened immune system.

Getting the varicella vaccination during childhood can prevent both chickenpox and shingles. For those who did not have the vaccination in childhood, vaccines against shingles are available.

People aged 50 and older should talk to their doctor about the shingles vaccination.

Shingles: Symptoms, treatment, and causes

We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission Here’s our process.

Medical News Today only shows you brands and products that we stand behind.

Our team thoroughly researches and evaluates the recommendations we make on our site. To establish that the product manufacturers addressed safety and efficacy standards, we:

• Evaluate ingredients and composition: Do they have the potential to cause harm?
• Fact-check all health claims: Do they align with the current body of scientific evidence?
• Assess the brand: Does it operate with integrity and adhere to industry best practices?

We do the research so you can find trusted products for your health and wellness.

Read more about our vetting process.

Was this helpful?

Shingles is a viral infection that results from the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), the same virus that causes chickenpox. It typically affects a single sensory nerve ganglion and the skin surface that the nerve supplies.

Anyone who has had chickenpox can later develop shingles.

In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 1 in 3 people in the United States develop shingles during their lifetime.

People can develop shingles if they had chickenpox in the past. This virus can lie dormant for years, and then reactivate as shingles. A person who has not had chickenpox before can get chickenpox through exposure to someone with shingles.

Shingles is most common after the age of 50, but it can appear at any age if a person has previously had chickenpox.

In this article, learn more about shingles, including symptoms, complications, and treatments.

Shingles usually affects one side of the body. This is most often the waist, chest, abdomen, or back. Symptoms can also appear on the face and in the eyes, mouth, ears. The virus can also affect some internal organs.

Shingles typically affects a single sensory nerve ganglion near the spinal cord, called a dorsal root ganglion. This is why the symptoms occur in specific areas of the body, rather than all over it. The pain results from nerve involvement, rather than the rash itself.

Symptoms can vary in nature, depending on where on the body they appear.

Some people have pain but no rash. Others may have a rash with pain that is accompanied by other symptoms, such as fever, chills, or headache.

Most common symptoms

Some of the most common symptoms of shingles include:

• a constant dull, burning, or gnawing pain, or a sharp, stabbing pain that comes and goes
• a skin rash that resembles a chickenpox rash but only affects certain areas
• fluid-filled blisters that develop as part of the rash

Symptoms on the body

A blistering skin rash may appear in one or more distinct bands with sensory nerves of the skin, called dermatomes.

Common locations for this include:

• the chest
• the abdomen
• the back
• around the waist

It usually occurs only on one side of the body.

The location of the symptoms will depend on which dermatome distribution the virus affects.

Facial symptoms

If the rash affects the face, symptoms usually appear on one side only — usually around one eye and the forehead.

They can include:

• pain over the affected dermatome
• a rash
• muscle weakness
• headache

Eye symptoms

If the virus affects an ophthalmic nerve, it means that a person has herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO).

This can cause pain, redness, and swelling in and around the eye, as well as temporary or permanent loss of vision.

Ear symptoms

Shingles can also occur in or around the ear, leading to problems with balance and hearing, as well as muscle weakness on the affected side of the face.

These changes can be long-term or even permanent.

A person who develops symptoms in or around the ears and eyes should seek immediate medical attention to reduce the risk of complications.

Mouth symptoms

If shingles affects the mouth, a person may experience:

• facial tenderness
• pain in the mouth
• toothache
• lesions in hard and soft palate tissues

The pain and discomfort of these symptoms can make it difficult to eat or drink.

Internal shingles

Shingles can also affect the internal organs. There will not be a rash, but other problems can arise.

For example, researchers have found evidence of shingles in the digestive system, which can lead to gastrointestinal dysfunction, and in the arteries in the brain, which may increase the risk of stroke and dementia.

Other symptoms

There may also be other symptoms, including:

• fever
• fatigue
• chills
• headache
• upset stomach

Symptom progression

Symptoms typically progress as follows:

• Pain, tingling, numbness, and itching start to affect a specific part of the skin.
• After up to 2 weeks, a rash appears.
• Red blotches and itchy, fluid-filled blisters develop and continue to do so for 3–5 days.
• The blisters may merge, forming a solid red band that looks similar to a severe burn. The gentlest touch may be painful.
• Inflammation may affect the soft tissue under and around the rash.
• After 7–10 days, the blisters gradually dry up and form scabs or crusts. As the blisters disappear, they may leave minor scarring.

Shingles usually lasts around 2–4 weeks. It is contagious until the blisters dry up and crust over.

Most people will only have an episode of shingles once, but it can recur in some people.

When to see a doctor

Getting treatment shortly after the onset of symptoms can help decrease the duration and severity of infection.

This is especially important for people over 60 and those who have a weakened immune system, as this could increase the risk of developing serious complications.

If the rash continues spreading to other parts of the body or other symptoms occur, such as high fever, it is best to consult with a doctor.

Additionally, those who develop a rash near the eye should seek immediate medical attention, as this can be a sign of HZO. The condition can cause scarring, vision loss, and permanent eye damage if left untreated.

A doctor may prescribe antiviral drugs to stop the virus from multiplying.

Antiviral treatment can help with:

• reducing the severity and duration of symptoms
• preventing complications from developing
• lowering the risk of the rash coming back

In addition to antiviral drugs, there are several other ways to help manage symptoms, including:

• using pain relief medication
• reducing stress as much as possible
• eating regular, nutritious meals
• getting some gentle exercise
• wearing loose fitting clothes for comfort
• doing relaxing activities that will reduce stress and take a person’s mind off the pain, such as watching television, reading books, socializing, listening to music, or engaging in hobbies

To relieve itching, the CDC recommends:

• applying calamine lotion
• taking a lukewarm, oatmeal bath
• placing a cool, damp washcloth on the blisters

Calamine lotion is available for purchase online.

Learn more home remedies for itching here.

Most people will recover with home treatment, but a person should seek medical help if other symptoms appear, such as a fever. Around 1–4% of people will need to spend time in the hospital due to complications.

Shingles results from VZV, the same virus that causes chickenpox. After a person recovers from chickenpox, the virus remains dormant in the sensory ganglia of their cranial nerve or the dorsal root ganglia within the peripheral nervous system.

VZV belongs to a group of viruses called herpes viruses. This is why shingles also has the name “herpes zoster.”

All herpes viruses can hide in the nervous system, where they can remain indefinitely in a latent state.

Under the right conditions, the herpes zoster virus can reactivate, similarly to waking up from hibernation, and travel down nerve fibers to cause a new active infection.

What triggers this is not usually clear, but it may happen when something weakens the immune system, prompting the virus to reactivate.

It is not possible to directly transmit shingles to another person. However, a person who has never had chickenpox can contract the virus by coming into direct contact with the fluid in the blisters of a person who currently has shingles.

If this happens, and the person has not received a vaccination against chickenpox, they would develop chickenpox first, not shingles.

Shingles does not spread through coughing or sneezing. Only direct contact with fluid from the blisters can spread the virus. Therefore, covering the blisters reduces the risk of contagion.

It is important to note that the virus is only active from when the blisters first appear to when they dry up and crust over. Transmission is not possible before the blisters develop or after the crusts form. If a person does not develop blisters, the virus cannot spread in the traditional sense.

Taking the following precautions can help prevent the transmission of the virus:

• covering the rash
• washing the hands often
• avoiding touching or scratching the rash

It is also important for someone with shingles to avoid contact with:

• infants who are preterm or have a low birth weight
• pregnant people who have never had chickenpox or the vaccine for it
• those with a weakened immune system

Doctors usually diagnose shingles through a physical exam by evaluating the appearance of the rash and blisters on the body.

In some cases, they may collect a tissue sample from the fluid of the blisters and send it to a lab to check if the virus is present.

They may also conduct a blood test to look for antibodies, which can determine whether a person has ever been exposed to the virus.

Vaccination can offer protection from both chickenpox and shingles.

For children: Chickenpox vaccine

Experts recommend routine immunization with the varicella vaccine (chickenpox vaccine) during childhood.

With two doses of the vaccine, there is at least a 90% chance of preventing chickenpox. Preventing chickenpox will also prevent shingles.

Children should receive the first dose at 12–15 months. The second dose is at 4–6 years.

Tests have shown the vaccine to be safe, though some children may experience:

• pain at the injection site
• a fever and a mild rash
• temporary joint pain and stiffness

Since vaccination started in children, the number of shingles cases has dropped.

Are vaccines safe or not? Learn more here.

Also, click here to learn more about the brands of childhood chickenpox vaccines.

For older adults: Shingles vaccine

A different vaccine, the herpes zoster vaccine, is available for people aged 50 and older who have had chickenpox and therefore carry VZV. Experts also recommend this vaccine for those who have not had chickenpox or shingles.

In the U.S., 99.5% of people born before 1980 already have this virus in their system. The herpes zoster vaccine can help prevent shingles in people who already have the virus.

The options available are Zostavax and a newer vaccine called Shingrix.

After two doses of Shingrix, a person will have more than 90% protection against shingles, falling to just above 85% after 4 years, according to the CDC.

Who should not have the vaccine?

People who should not have the shingles vaccine without first discussing it with their doctor include those who:

• have an allergy to any component of the shingles vaccine
• have a weakened immune system
• are or might be pregnant

Although anyone who has had chickenpox can develop shingles, some people may be at a higher risk.

Possible risk factors and triggers include:

• older age
• certain cancers or cancer treatment options
• HIV
• treatments that suppress the immune system
• stress or trauma

Complications

Rarely, complications can arise — especially in people with an impaired immune system.

Possible complications of shingles include:

• postherpetic neuralgia (PHN)
• inflammation of the brain or spinal cord, increasing the risk of stroke, encephalitis, and meningitis
• eye and vision problems
• weakness
• problems with balance and hearing
• damage to blood vessels, which could lead to stroke
• pneumonia

According to the CDC, around 10–18% of people who have shingles will develop PHN, a long-term complication in which the pain of a shingles rash lasts long beyond the rash itself.

It is more likely to occur if a person develops shingles after the age of 40, and the risk continues to increase with age.

In people with weak immune systems

People with a weakened immune system will have a higher risk of developing shingles and of experiencing severe symptoms and complications.

This includes people who:

• have cancer, especially leukemia or lymphoma
• have HIV
• have undergone an organ transplant
• are taking medications to suppress the immune system, including chemotherapy drugs

These people should seek medical attention as soon as possible if they have concerns about shingles-related symptoms.

What other precautions should a person take if they have a weak immune system? Find out here.

Anyone who has had chickenpox can develop shingles.

Most people make a full recovery from shingles within 3–5 weeks, but some experience severe complications. Those most at risk are people with a weakened immune system.

Getting the varicella vaccination during childhood can prevent both chickenpox and shingles. For those who did not have the vaccination in childhood, vaccines against shingles are available.

People aged 50 and older should talk to their doctor about the shingles vaccination.

The Moscow transport jingle will be determined on the Active Citizen portal

06/23/2022 at 18:55

Moscow

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A single melody-jingle will be introduced in the salons and carriages of Moscow public transport – it should become a hallmark of the capital’s carriers. Muscovites themselves will choose from five options using the Active Citizen electronic voting platform. Over eight years of operation, this digital service has become a key instrument of civil society in Moscow, an important channel of communication between citizens and authorities. And definitely the most convenient way to get the opinion of Muscovites.

Photo: gazeta-borisovskie-prudi.ru

Almost 22,000 people have already taken part in choosing the best tune for Moscow transport on the evening of June 22, and the survey is just beginning. The popularity of the topic is not surprising: it is a musical phrase that every public transport passenger in Moscow will hear every day, and more than once. This means that this music will someday be inserted into films to create the atmosphere of Moscow in the 2020s. It is for her that we and our children will be nostalgic decades later.

Ten years ago, there was simply no reliable way to not only choose the best option “expertly”, but also to enlist popular support. Now in Moscow such a tool – incredible for the very recent past – exists in the form of the Active Citizen portal. Created immediately after the introduction of the federal and Moscow State Services portals with their clear personalization of accounts, this mechanism has become over the years one of the main communication bridges between citizens and the city government system in the capital. And this is a key mechanism for the formation of a mature, constructive civil society in the metropolis.

After the end of the voting, the winning melody will be recorded in autoinformers of all types of public transport in Moscow. It will precede important information messages, and this, according to transport workers, will help people better navigate the flow of audio information. However, the jingles of subways, trains, trams, buses and electric buses will differ in sound. In addition, it is these sounds that will greet customers of the Deptrans call center and will be included in the official applications of Moscow transport.

How it works

In April of this year, after the selection of the melody was announced, more than 150 songs were submitted to the selection committee. Under the terms of the competition, jingles should reflect Moscow transport as a cultural phenomenon, refer to cinema, literature, and be associated with warm childhood memories. But at the same time, it was necessary to emphasize the speed and innovativeness of transport. An expert jury worked on the initial screening, which formed a short list of the five best options.

Other similar public discussions on the Active Citizen platform work in a similar way. To the attention of the townspeople – and the number of those who voted can reach many hundreds of thousands of people – the options selected at the stage of preliminary examination are offered. This is how, with the initial abundance of offers, you can objectively choose the best.

As a recent example, in June, through Active Citizen, Muscovites chose a name for a landscaped square in the Presnensky District: it received the actual name of the square of the Donetsk People’s Republic. Earlier this year, more than 200,000 people took part in voting on the so-called parklets – summer verandas for cafes and restaurants equipped in parking spaces. 61% of those who voted supported this idea, suggesting more than 7,000 new places for installing parklets, including at Patriarch’s and Chistye Prudy. And every year, before the season of Christmas trees, Muscovites on the portal approve the layout of Christmas tree disposal points.

Active Citizen is often used to select the names of transport facilities and other toponyms. So, at the end of last year, a voting was launched on the portal, during which Muscovites chose names for 28 streets, boulevards and metro stations on promising lines. It was the Active Citizen users who approved the name “Ploshad treh vokzalov” (Three Station Square) for the MCD station (before the reconstruction it was called “Kalanchevskaya”), and the name of the Big Circle Line was fixed in this form. More than 235 thousand people took part in this vote, it became one of the most popular.

Moscow transport uses the Active Citizen service especially intensively – in some cases, ground transport routes are discussed with the help of this portal. And when the activities of street musicians in the subway were streamlined in the capital (the project “Music in the Metro”), it was the townspeople who became the people’s artistic council, choosing the best performers.

All this, of course, could be done in the traditional way – focusing on expert assessments and conducting sociological research. But the first of these methods does not guarantee taking into account the opinion of the townspeople, and the second one is not efficient enough. Only such a digital tool for direct interaction between citizens and authorities, such as Active Citizen, allows working in this area at a new qualitative level, involving millions of people in city management.

6 million active citizens

The Active Citizen project started exactly eight years ago, in 2014. The meaning of this service from the very beginning was to provide the possibility of direct electronic voting of Muscovites on various issues. To do this, the most transparent technologies were chosen with the possibility of accurate verification of users and a filter by place of residence up to a specific house. This strategy made it possible to create an accurate and operational tool for finding out people’s preferences.

Currently, Active Citizen has more than 6 million users – this figure, the creators of the service proudly note, is comparable to the population of New Zealand. Over the past year, the number of Muscovites registered in this system has increased by more than 800,000 people. Over the years of work on Active Citizen, 5,399 votes have taken place, in which almost 190 million votes have been cast. It is estimated that in the traditional way (appeals to the “paper” and electronic receptions of the government of Moscow), such a number of votes would have to be collected for 72 years.

More than 3,400 decisions made on the portal were taken for execution and implemented. This means that 30 to 40 decisions passed through Active Citizen are implemented every month; by decision per day! At the same time, we are talking only about those issues that are within the competence of the capital’s executive power and comply with the current regulatory framework. As a result of discussions and voting in Active Citizen, laws of the city of Moscow were adopted (this was the case, for example, with a ban on the sale of alcoholic energy drinks), as well as resolutions of the Moscow government and departmental decisions.

Many of the development programs that Muscovites have come to love in recent years are closely linked to the work of Active Citizen. This is, for example, “Million Trees” – it is on the portal that residents of a particular area decide where landscaping will take place and which tree species from those proposed by dendrologists will be used. Over the nine seasons of the program, more than 11,000 Moscow courtyards were planted with greenery, and more than 1.1 million trees and shrubs were planted. No less active were voting on the My Street project (Muscovites approved the projects of 48 streets), and now My District.

At Active Citizen, Muscovites improved and approved the standard of the Moscow polyclinic, which our city is now rightfully proud of. There are also temporary discussions on the portal, but important for people – for example, school graduates choose through the portal artists who will perform at the city graduation ball in Gorky Park.

Over the years, the functionality of the service has been improved and its reliability has increased. Thus, in 2016, auditors from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) confirmed that there were no elements suspicious in terms of voting integrity on the portal. And in 2017, AG switched to blockchain technology, being the first of the Moscow city portals and services to master a new level of transparency.

The popularity of the platform is also facilitated by the fact that it is very easy to take part in voting. To do this, it is enough to log in to the ag.mos.ru portal using a verified account of the city mos.ru or Gosuslug. An accurate indication of the place of residence will make it possible to take part in polls and voting for a particular area. And really active citizens, who often take part in voting, receive bonus points that can be redeemed in the bonus store.

Given that Active Citizen has been developing subsidiary projects in recent years, such as the Electronic House apartment building management system, Million Prize incentive programs, the popularity of the platform will only grow. And this means that this service has won its place in urban life firmly and for a long time.

The modern metropolis is such a complex matter in the spatial and social sense that it is impossible to manage it with the old methods, simply by ensuring impeccable discipline in city services and departments. It is necessary not only to take into account the opinion of the inhabitants of the city, but to do it constantly, almost in real time. The fact that this has become possible thanks to Active Citizen and other metropolitan digital services is the main reason for the managerial flexibility due to which Moscow is better than most other megacities in the world in navigating such turbulence zones as the recent coronavirus pandemic. This means that, armed with modern tools of civil society, we will overcome other difficulties on the way to building the city of the future.

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Authors:

• org/Person”>

  Elena Lelkova

• Yuri Sukhanov

Government of the Russian Federation
Moscow
Donetsk People’s Republic
New Zealand

Published in the Moskovsky Komsomolets newspaper No. 28810 dated June 24, 2022

Newspaper headline:
Choose, so with music

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Jingle diva Casey.

Kvitka Cisyk – Retro Ladies – LiveJournal

About this diminutive woman, her widower Edvard Rakovich said at a memorial evening: “Every morning I witnessed how this” vocal weightlifter “exhausted himself with constant training.”

Kvitka Cisyk was not recognized on the street, they were not bothered with requests for an autograph, but, as they wrote in obituaries, in America only the deaf could not hear her voice. In her youth, she sang in the choir with Michael Jackson, in the 80s she recorded her albums in the same studio with Madonna, from early childhood she prepared for a career as a violinist, then an opera singer, and remained in the memory of Americans as the most popular performer of advertising jingles.

At the end of World War II, Ivanna and Volodymyr Tsisyk left their native city of Lvov. Their first daughter Maria was born at 1945 in a camp for displaced persons near the German city of Bayreuth. Four years later, the family moved to the United States, and the youngest daughter was born already across the ocean – April 4, 1953 in Queens (New York). The girl was given a somewhat unusual name – Kvitka, which means “flower” in Ukrainian.

The head of the family Volodymyr Tsisyk graduated from the Lvov Conservatory before the war, studied in Prague and Munich, and was the first violinist of the Lvov Opera Theatre. From 1942 to 1944 he worked there as an accompanist. In the USA, the virtuoso violinist showed not only his talent, but also organizational skills. He became one of the founders, teacher and leader of the string orchestra of the Ukrainian Musical Institute of America.

Vladimir was the first teacher and guide to the world of music for his daughters. Maria became a famous pianist, taught at the Juilliard School, was director of the San Francisco Conservatory, and gave master classes at Carnegie Hall. Kvitka was captivated by the violin. From the age of four, Vladimir Tsisyk gave his daughter lessons. The girl made noticeable progress, they said that she had a “father’s hand.” After graduating from high school, Cisyk received a scholarship to play the violin at the State University of New York. And a year later she entered the New York Conservatory. But Kvitka had another passion – singing.

“I have always loved to sing. I sang as a small child in Plast (Ukrainian scout organization – O.N.) , at school, in the church choir. – Cisyk herself said, – When I was at school, I began to sing in clubs. I noticed that I can easily change styles, change my voice and I really liked it.”

While studying at the conservatory, she finally made a choice in favor of a vocal career, although she felt guilty towards her father, especially after his death (in 1971).
“I had his fingers and technique, but I dreamed of singing, and I still feel guilty that I left the violin,” the singer said in an interview twenty years later, but she did not give up her dream.

The conservatory teachers also confirmed the correctness of the choice: the coloratura soprano is a rare gift of nature, which should not be neglected.

Kvitka at the Conservatory

Even during her studies, Kvitka Cisyk began working as an opera singer, but the meager fees for short engagements are not enough for life and tuition fees. The search for work leads the girl to a recording studio, where she meets her first husband, composer and musician Jack Kortner. It was Kortner who advised Kvitka to do studio work, the so-called “studio sing”: recording working versions of songs for various composers, commercials, and working as a backing vocalist.

Very quickly high professionalism, ability to work in different genres and colossal diligence make Casey (pseudonym Cisyk from initials K.S.) the first value among studio performers. She works as a backing vocalist with Michael Franks, Bob James, David Sanborn, Michael Bolton, Robert Fleck, Linda Ronstad and others, but is most successful singing songs for television and radio commercials. Casey’s professionalism was valued so highly that even companies operating in the same industry and being competitors turned to her. Her voice was heard in commercials for Coca-Cola and Pepsi, American Airlines, Delta, Easter, TWA, television companies ABC, NBC, CBC, fast food restaurant chains McDonald’s and Burger King, automakers Ford Motors, General Motors, Toyota and many other well-known brands. Cooperation with Ford is unique in terms of duration for one performer – Kvitka Cisyk has been the voice of the company for 16 years (from 1982 until his death).

Songs for films have become another sphere of application of the singer’s talent. In 1977, was the voice of Casey “sang” Didi Kon, who starred in the movie “You Light Up My Life”. Cisyk herself also appeared in the film in a cameo role as a bridesmaid. The soundtrack of the same name with the film became a hit and won an Oscar for composer Joseph Brooks. However, Casey, as often happens in show business, was left out of success. While Tsisyk’s record company and the film company that owns the rights to the film were deciding which of them had the right to release a CD with songs from the film, music producer Pet Boon bought the performance rights and arranged for his daughter Debi to record, who and performed the song at the Oscars. Kvitka Cisyk did not come to the ceremony, but she did not sue the offenders. “She said: forget it, I will continue to work,” Edward Rakovich recalled. The song “You Light Up My Life” won a Golden Globe, was nominated for a Grammy and stayed at number one on the American charts for a then record time of 10 weeks. However, Debi Boon herself failed to stay on the wave of success in the future.

Excerpt from the film “You Light Up My Life”.
The main character sings the song of the same name: in the frame of Didi Kon, behind the scenes of Casey (Kvitka Cisyk)

http://youtu.be/pWsy9DKhsws

The same song performed by Debi Boon

Although Kvitka Cisyk was not only herself in demand, but also a very highly paid advertising performer, such work did not bring creative satisfaction. “Advertising jingles are sometimes not the best music, but just one that is well remembered,” the singer said in an interview on 1990 g.

The love for the Ukrainian song instilled since childhood required an outlet. Kvitka often spoke admiringly about Ukrainian musical culture and traditions to her fellow musicians, but when asked to demonstrate anything other than her own performance, there was nothing to offer. Discs with Ukrainian music appeared in America, but none of them was recorded at a high technical level. And Kvitka Cisyk decided to change the situation. At her own expense, she recorded two albums of folk and author’s Ukrainian songs in her own performance: in 1980 “Kvitka – Songs of Ukraine” and in 1989 “Kvitka – Two Colors”.

Cisyk invited the best New York musicians, not stinting on fees. Nevertheless, it is fair to call this project a family one. Mom Ivanna monitored the correctness of the Ukrainian pronunciation of Kvitka. Sister Maria played the piano part. Between the recording of the first and second discs, Kvitka divorced Jack Kortner and married sound engineer and recording studio owner Edward Rakovich, which did not prevent all three from working on the project together.

Kvitka Cisyk with Edward Rakovich and son Eddie

Cisyk had an amazing ability to infect others with her love, in particular her love for the Ukrainian song. As the singer herself said, before meeting her, Jack Kortner had no idea about Ukraine, but enthusiastically took up the arrangement. From the material originally selected by Kvitka, her sister and mother, he chose the most musically interesting songs. At his request, Kvitka translated texts into English, explained what meaning and feelings are embedded in words and music.

“He is a very interesting person, very talented and capable,” Cisyk said of Kortner. – Feels great… He took every song… and didn’t change it, didn’t make an American song out of it… He left the Ukrainian soul. And so he will always be a very dear person to me. I am very grateful to him for working so passionately and working so hard.”

The albums were recorded at Ed Rakovich’s Clinton Recording Studio, one of the four largest New York recording studios, which recorded Madonna, Lenny Kravitz, John McLaughlin, Placido Domingo, Diana Ross and other famous artists. About $200,000 was spent on the entire project. In 1990, both discs were nominated for a Grammy Award in the contemporary folk category.

Cover of the disc “Kvitka – Songs of Ukraine”

“Vladimir Tsisyk, virtuoso violinist; I dedicate this collection of songs to my unforgettable father.

The second album — “Kvitka – Two Colors”

“I dedicate it to the impulses of the unbroken Ukrainian spirit and its unceasing struggle on both sides of the ocean.
This collection is the desire of my Ukrainian heart to weave joyful threads into a canvas torn by life, on which the fate of our people is embroidered”

“Two colors” (Two colors) song from the album “Kvitka – Two Colors”
music by A. Bilash, lyrics by D. Pavlychko were heard in Ukraine. She managed to visit her parents’ homeland, which she considered her own from childhood, only once. tour. No one dared to hope for the sound of a “bourgeois-nationalist singer” (and this label automatically stuck to everything diaspora) on the air.

But already in the 90s Kvitka Cisyk began to receive invitations to give concerts in Ukraine, and despite her tight schedule, she planned to come with a tour. Also thought about the release of the third album. The singer developed two ideas – an album of children’s songs or songs by modern Ukrainian composers.

Illness crossed out all plans. March 29, 1998 Kvitka Cisyk died of cancer 5 days before her 45th birthday.

Kacey – You’re Winning The World Over

Playlist “Kvitka Tsisik”: 18 songs from different albums in Ukrainian and English + interview (in 3 parts) 1990 (Ukrainian)

In 2008 Ukrainian TV channel Inter filmed a program dedicated to the singer. Evenings in memory of “Unforgettable Kvitka” (Unforgettable Kvitka) were held in Kyiv and New York. This Ukrainian-American project was initiated by producer and musician Alex Gutmacher. He met Kvitka in the clinic when she was undergoing treatment, but he first heard her songs only in 2006 and was stunned.

In the future, the producer plans to release a disc of lullabies, selected by Kvitka Cisyk for the third album, performed by famous Ukrainian vocalists. Gutmakher plans to record songs in Rakovich’s studio.
“This is the mission of my life, and I will do it, I will work on the project, because Kvitka needs to be heard,” the producer said.

Kvitka’s widower Tsisyk Edvard Rakovich and son Edward-Vladimir at a memorial evening in New York 03/29/2008

Kateryna Yushchenko and Minister of Culture V. Vovkun at a memorial evening in Kiev on 10/20/2008

In 2009, The Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Ukraine prepared for the International Festival-Competition of Ukrainian Songs in Memory of Kvitka Cisyk “Kvitka”. Its first stage was held within the framework of the III Festival of Ukrainian Culture in the USA.

January 22, 2010 on the Day of Unity in Lviv, a memorial plaque was opened on the house where relatives of Kvitka Cisyk’s mother lived.