I just came down with shingles, should i cover it with a bandaid?

Yes: It's probably a good idea to cover it since it's contagious. You can begin taking oral antivirals to shorten the course of the illness. They've only shown to be helpful in the first 72h.

Is contagious: While shingles itself is not contagious in the sense that you cannot give someone else shingles it does contain the chickenpox virus so anyone who has not had chickenpox is susceptible to the secretions. This would include children who have not had the vaccination. Anyone on chemotherapy would also be at risk so it is a good idea to keep it covered with a band-aid. It should heal up on its own.

SHINGLES: Where is the shingles rash? Does it itch or hurt? How extensive is it? Where is it located? I would recommend that you see a physician, preferably a dermatologist, who will make an accurate diagnosis. I do not think that covering it with a band-aid is a good idea. Best luck.

One more thing: An outbreak of shingles may be harmless, or it may cause a lot of pain and then resolve. But an outbreak can also mean that your immune system is struggling due some other unknown problem. The scariest is a hidden cancer. See your doctor and ask for a check up including age appropriate cancer screens.