A website aiming to raise an awareness about pneumonia, provide easily accessible knowledge and resources.
Pneumococcal Vaccine
(1) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2016). Help Prevent Pneumonia. [online] Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/Features/Pneumonia/ [Accessed 28 Mar. 2017].
(2) Nhs.uk. (2016). Pneumococcal vaccine - Vaccinations - NHS Choices. [online] Available at: http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/vaccinations/Pages/pneumococcal-vaccination.aspx [Accessed 28 Mar. 2017].
(3) Medscape Internal Medicine, (2017). Moderate Pneumonia Protection With PCV-13 in the Elderly. [image] Available at: http://img.medscape.com/news/2014/ts_140404_elderly_injection_vaccine_vaccination_800x600.jpg [Accessed 28 Mar. 2017].
Pneumonia gratuitously affects millions of people worldwide each year. It isn’t just a problem of developing countries – 1 million people in the USA suffers from pneumonia and about 50,000 die from the disease. Many of the deaths could be prevented. You can lower your risk of pneumonia with vaccines and healthy living practices (1).
Pneumococcal vaccine, also known as “pneumo jab” or “pneumonia vaccine” is protective against pneumococcal infections. This means, that the vaccine protects against the bacterium, Streptococcus pneumoniae, which is the main cause of the pneumonia and other pneumococcal infections such as septicaemia (a kind of blood poisoning) and meningitis (2).
Although anyone can be affected by pneumococcal infection, some groups of people are at higher risk of serious illness and complications:
-Babies
-Children and adults with long-term health conditions
-Adults aged 65 and over
How often do I need the pneumococcal vaccine?
Who should get the vaccine?
Babies normally receive the three injections at 8 weeks, 16 weeks and one year old.
People with long-term health illnesses and aged 65+ only need a single injection which will be protective for life.
Types of pneumococcal vaccines
Two types of pneumococcal vaccine are currently available:
1. Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) is used to vaccinate children under 2.
2. Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV) – this is given to people aged 65+, and to people with long-term health conditions (2).
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