Pneumococcal vaccine

Vaccines play a crucial role in preventing severe illnesses and their complications. According to data from the CDC, over 47,000 people in the U.S. died of pneumonia, and more than 3,000 died of pneumococcal and meningitis in recent years. However, vaccines like the pneumococcal vaccine can help prevent many of these deaths.

At Aurora Health Care, our goal is to keep you and your family healthy and safe. Our preventive care team offers the pneumococcal vaccine and other routine vaccinations in many convenient locations throughout Wisconsin. We aim to make getting the care you need as easy as possible.

What is pneumonia?

Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi. Pneumonia causes the air sacs in the lungs to become inflamed and fill up with fluid. The infection can range from mild to severe depending on your age, overall health and cause of infection. Pneumonia symptoms can also be mild to severe and include cough, fever, chills or difficulty breathing.

Infants, young children, adults who are 65 and older and people who have chronic medical issues or weakened immune systems are at the highest risk of developing pneumonia. The pneumococcal vaccine is one of the best preventative measures you can take to guard yourself against developing pneumonia.

According to the American Lung Association, pneumonia is the leading cause of hospitalization among adults and children with most instances being treated successfully.

Is pneumonia contagious?

Pneumonia itself is not contagious, but the bacterial, viral and fungal infections that cause pneumonia are. Infection is typically spread through coughing, sneezing or talking, and the effect is often developing pneumonia. While rare, you can get pneumonia from touching an infected object or surface and then touching your nose or mouth after. It’s important to remember you can spread pneumonia-causing bacteria even if you’re asymptomatic.

Once it’s confirmed you have pneumonia, your contagion period will vary depending on the type of pneumonia you have. Walking pneumonia, for example, can cause you to be contagious for weeks before your symptoms appear and until your symptoms resolve whereas bacterial pneumonia’s contagion period often ends after 48 hours of antibiotics and absence of fever.

What is the pneumococcal vaccine?

The pneumococcal vaccine is an important immunization that helps protect children and adults from various types of pneumococcal bacteria. These bacteria spread between people through respiratory droplets, causing pneumococcal disease. It can affect different parts of the body, resulting in severe illness, including:

• Bacteremia, a bloodstream infection
• Bacterial meningitis, inflammation and infection in the protective covering of the brain and spinal cord
• Pneumonia, a serious lung infection
• Sepsis, an extreme, life-threatening reaction to an infection

What are the available vaccine types for pneumococcal vaccinations?

Experts recommend that babies, older adults and other high-risk people get the pneumococcal vaccine. There are two types of pneumococcal vaccines:

• Pneumococcal conjugate types (PCV13, PCV15 and PCV20) protect against 13, 15 and 20 different types of pneumococcal bacteria, respectively, including the ones most likely to cause childhood infections.
• Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) protects against 23 different types of pneumococcal bacteria.

Your age and health history affect when you need the pneumococcal vaccine. Your pneumococcal vaccine schedule may also vary based on which type of vaccine you get.

What is the current vaccination schedule for pneumococcal vaccinations?

Babies should get four doses of either PCV13 or PCV15 at:

• Less than 2 months old
• 4 months old
• 6 months old
• 12 to 15 months old

Your child’s health care provider may recommend getting the PPSV23 pneumococcal vaccine between ages 2 and 18 if they have other medical conditions that increase their health risks, including:

• A compromised immune system, such as from HIV infection or cancer
• Cerebrospinal fluid leak
• Cochlear implants
• Diabetes
• Kidney failure
• Liver, lung or heart disease

Adults have increased risk of developing pneumococcal diseases, like pneumonia, if they have certain pre-existing health conditions. The PCV15, PCV20 or PPSV23 pneumococcal vaccine may be appropriate for:

• Adults 65 and older
• Adults 19 to 64 with medical conditions that increase their risk of pneumococcal disease such as: asthma, cirrhosis, diabetes, heart disease, lung disease and those with a history of smoking or alcohol misuse

Typically, adults need one to two pneumococcal shots. Adults over 65 should receive at least one dose of the pneumonia shot. Depending on your previous vaccinations, you may need additional doses of the pneumococcal vaccine one to five years later.

Your health care provider will tell you how many shots you need and when to get them based on several factors, including your age and overall health.

Pneumococcal vaccine side effects

Though rare, pneumococcal vaccine side effects are possible. Most people experience mild side effects that disappear within one to two days. You or your child may experience:

• Fatigue
• Fever or chills
• Headaches
• Muscle aches
• Reactions at the injection site, such as redness, swelling or soreness

If you’re experiencing continuous pneumococcal vaccine side effects, contact your heath provider immediately.

How long does the pneumococcal vaccine last?

In infants, the protection from the pneumococcal vaccine lasts for several months as their immune system develops. That's why babies get multiple doses over a few months.

In adults, one to three doses of the vaccine will likely provide lifelong protection. Your health care provider will advise you about the specific number of doses needed for long-term immunity.

How long to wait between a pneumonia shot and COVID vaccine?

You can get your pneumonia shot and COVID vaccine at the same time if you like. Studies have shown it’s safe and effective to get the pneumococcal vaccine and COVID vaccine together.