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How Often Should You Get A Pneumonia Shot?

Pneumonia vaccines help prevent invasive pneumococcal diseases. People should get a pneumonia shot at least once in their life. The type of shot will depend on a person's age and health status.

Pneumonia is an infection that causes inflammation in the lung's air sacs. The inflammation can cause the sacs to fill with pus or fluid. Typical symptoms include cough, fever, chills, and difficulty breathing.

There are two types of pneumonia: bacterial and viral. According to the American Lung Association, bacterial pneumonia is more common and results in a more serious illness.

Pneumonia is common among children and older adults, but according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people over the age of 65 years are most at risk for serious illness or death.

In this article, we look at more information about the pneumonia vaccine and when a person should receive it.

How often a person should get the pneumonia vaccine depends on their age and overall health.

The CDC recommend the following schedules:

Infants should receive the PCV13 vaccine at 2, 4, 6, and 12–15 months.

Adults only need one dose of PCV13.

A single dose of PPSV23 is sufficient for anyone who needs it, such as those over 65 years of age and people with underlying health conditions.

A person under the age of 65 years should receive the PPSV23 vaccine if they smoke, are receiving chemotherapy treatment, or have any of the following conditions:

A person can get both vaccines if they have any of the above conditions or any of the following:

cerebrospinal fluid leak

cochlear implants

anatomic or functional asplenia, which is when the tissue of the spleen does not work

However, the CDC recommend that if people need to have both vaccines, they should get them in separate visits.

Who should not get the vaccine?

People should not get the vaccine if they have had a life threatening allergic reaction to a previous dose.

Additionally, a person should not undergo vaccination if they have had an allergic reaction to medication containing diphtheria toxoid or an earlier form of the pneumonia vaccination (PCV7).

Lastly, people who are sick or have allergic reactions to any of the ingredients of the vaccine should talk to a doctor before getting the shot.

A pneumonia shot will not reduce pneumonia. However, it helps prevent invasive pneumococcal diseases, such as meningitis, endocarditis, empyema, and bacteremia, which is when bacteria enter the bloodstream.

Noninvasive pneumococcal disease includes sinusitis.

There are two types of pneumonia shots available. Which type a person gets depends on their age, whether or not they smoke, and the presence of any underlying medical conditions.

The two types are:

Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13): Healthcare providers recommend this vaccine for young children, people with certain underlying conditions, and some people over the age of 65 years.

Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23): Healthcare providers recommend this vaccine for anyone over 65 years of age, people with certain underlying conditions, and people who smoke.

According to the CDC, PCV13 protects children and others against 13 different strains of bacterial pneumonia. PCSV23 protects older adults and others who need it against 23 different strains of bacterial pneumonia.

Although the pneumonia shots will not prevent a person from ever getting pneumonia, they may help in reducing cases of invasive pneumococcal diseases.

At least one dose of PCV13 protects:

roughly 8 in 10 babies from invasive pneumococcal disease

45 in 100 adults 65 years or older against pneumococcal pneumonia

75 in 100 adults 65 years or older against invasive pneumococcal disease

One dose of PCSV23 helps protect about 50–85 out of 100 healthy adults against invasive pneumococcal disease.

If a person receives a second pneumonia shot too soon, they may experience worse side effects than someone receiving the vaccine for the first time. In particular, severe localized, arthritis-like reactions are more frequent.

The general CDC guidelines for people who are 65 years of age or older vary, depending on the type of vaccine.

If a person received one dose of PPSV23 prior to the age of 65 years, they should get one final shot after this age. However, they should wait until it has been at least 5 years since the first shot. For example, if they received their first shot at 62 years of age, they should wait until they are 67 years old for the second and final dose.

If a person wants both PCV13 and PPSV23 after the age of 65 years, they should get the PCV13 first and wait 1 year to get the PPSV23 shot. If they have already received the PPSV23, they should wait at least 1 year before getting the PCV13 shot.

Most people who get the pneumonia vaccine will not experience any side effects. However, as with any medication or vaccine, there is a risk that a person will develop side effects. These side effects typically disappear after a few days.

Some potential mild side effects from PCV13 include:

fever

a reaction at the injection site, such as swelling, redness, or pain and tenderness

irritability

loss of appetite

a headache

chills

feeling tired

Some potential mild side effects from PPSV23 include:

muscle aches

fever

a reaction at the injection site, such as tenderness, redness, or swelling

With PCV13, there is some risk of seizure in young children if they receive the shot at the same time as a flu vaccine. A parent or caregiver should talk to a doctor about the best times to get each shot.

A person who is over 65 years of age should talk to their doctor about which pneumonia vaccine may be best for them. The doctor can help determine whether they should get the vaccination, which vaccination to get, and when to get it.

Parents and caregivers of young children should talk to a pediatrician about the schedule for the pneumonia vaccination. The pediatrician can also address any questions or concerns about the safety and effectiveness of the vaccination.

A person does not need to see a doctor for mild reactions to the vaccine, such as tenderness at the injection site, fever, or fatigue.

However, if a person experiences any life threatening side effects, they should seek emergency help immediately.

Signs and symptoms of allergic reactions in children may include:

Allergic reactions in adults can lead to:

respiratory symptoms, such as wheezing

labored breathing

persistent coughing

vomiting

abdominal pain

low blood pressure

chest pain

The pneumonia vaccination is a safe and effective way to help prevent some of the most severe cases of pneumonia.

Healthcare providers recommend the shot for infants, people with weakened immune systems, and those who are over 65 years of age. People who have certain medical conditions or are allergic to the vaccine should not get the shot.

Pneumonia vaccination may cause mild side effects in some people, but these should go away on their own within a few days.

Pneumonia Cases Are Rising In Sedgwick County. Here's How To Get A Free Vaccine

May 5—The Sedgwick County Health Department is providing free pneumonia vaccines for adults who have medical conditions that put them at high risk for illness. This comes as a response to a rising number of young smokers being hospitalized for pneumonia.

The health department received 300 doses of the vaccine from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and will offer the free doses until they are gone, according to Beverly Bruce, the preventative health associate director for the main clinic. She is unsure if more vaccines will be provided.

Pneumococcal pneumonia is a lung infection that hospitalizes about 150,000 people every year in the United States. Last year in Kansas, the rate of cases was six out of every 100,000 people, according to the Sedgwick County Health Department. In Sedgwick County this rate was doubled.

The case rate per 100,000 people in Sedgwick County went from nine in 2021 to 12 in 2022.

The county has especially seen a rise in hospitalizations for smokers under 65 years old. During the first three months of this year, 29 people were hospitalized with pneumococcal pneumonia, and 62% had a history of smoking. Fifty-nine percent of patients were younger than 65, according to a press release from Sedgwick County.

"People don't realize that they don't have to be old to qualify for the pneumococcal vaccines," Bruce said. "It's not that we don't want the elderly people to be immunized because we definitely do, but we really are targeting those 19-64 with risk factors."

People with alcoholism or who smoke cigarettes have a higher chance of infection. Some medical conditions, including diabetes and chronic heart, liver or lung disease, can also put people at a higher risk. Anyone 19-64 with an illness that is on the CDC's list of qualifying conditions is eligible for the free pneumonia vaccine. Everyone 65 or older automatically qualifies.

A nurse will ask questions at the vaccine appointment to ensure patients qualify for the free vaccine. Since the state-funded vaccines are intended to provide relief to people who can't always afford medical help, the health department will file a claim if the patient has health insurance. A patient who does not have health insurance or a qualifying condition can still receive a vaccine, but will be charged $302.84 out of pocket, according to Bruce.

Free walk-up vaccinations will be available this Sunday, May 7, from noon to 4 p.M. At Oaklawn Activity Center, 4904 S. Clifton Ave. The vaccine clinic will be part of the center's free summer kickoff event, Family Fest.

Scheduled appointments will be at the Sedgwick County Health Department Main Clinic, 2716 W. Central. You can call 316-660-7300 to find out what time slots are available.

Every patient should bring their ID and a copy of their shot records. For mobile clinic appointments they should be able to find shot records in the state database if people do not have them when they arrive.

(c)2023 The Wichita Eagle (Wichita, Kan.) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

CDC Adds COVID Vaccines To Recommended Immunizations For Children, Adults

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday updated its schedule of recommended immunizations to include COVID-19 shots and boosters for children, adolescents and adults.

The schedule was recommended by the agency's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, then approved by the CDC and other health care organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics. 

The CDC can issue guidance, but does not have the authority to mandate vaccines for schools or work settings. Such mandates can only be put in place by the states.

Dr. Neil Murthy and Dr. A. Patricia Wodi, authors of the report recommending the addition of COVID vaccines, told CNN the new immunization schedule emphasizes the importance of the shots for different age groups.

"This, in a sense, helps 'normalize' this vaccine and sends a powerful message to both healthcare providers and the general public that everyone ages 6 months and older should stay up to date with recommended COVID-19 vaccines (including a booster, when eligible), just as they would with any other routinely recommended vaccine," Murthy and Wodi said in a statement.

The committee considers vaccine data, safety as well as "societal impacts of the vaccine-preventable disease" to determine recommendations.

The new schedule says children aged 6 months to 4 years can choose between a two-dose Moderna primary series, followed by a bivalent Moderna booster, or a three-dose Pfizer-BioNTech primary course.

For 5-year-old children, the schedule recommends two shots of Moderna, followed by a bivalent mRNA booster, or two shots of Pfizer-BioNtech followed by the company's bivalent booster.

For children aged 6 to 11, the CDC recommends two doses of the Moderna vaccine or two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech shot, in both cases followed by an mRNA booster.

Those 12 to 18 can choose between a two-dose Moderna series or a two-dose series from Pfizer-BioNTech or Novavax, followed by a bivalent booster for either.

Adults can choose a two-part primary series, followed by a bivalent booster dose.

The report includes further guidance for children, adolescents and adults who are immunocompromised.

Apart from COVID, this year's new schedule features new or updated guidance for the following vaccines: influenza, pneumococcal, measles, mumps and rubella.

A fall in children's vaccinations has been recorded across the country, prompted by decadeslong hesitation around the measles vaccine, coupled with the more recent backlash against COVID-related safeguards like vaccine mandates.

This comes as the agency has recorded a weekly total of over 282,820 COVID cases and over 3,170 weekly COVID-related deaths.

Over 69% of the U.S. Population has completed a COVID vaccine primary course, and 15% of Americans have had a bivalent booster shot.

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