The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated its pneumococcal vaccination guidelines, lowering the recommended age from 65 to 50 years. This change aims to protect more people from serious infections like pneumonia, meningitis, and bloodstream infections caused by pneumococcal bacteria.

Who Should Get the Pneumococcal Vaccine?

✔ All adults aged 50 and older who have never received a pneumococcal vaccine or whose vaccination history is unknown.
✔ Adults aged 19–49 with underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, chronic lung disease, liver disease, or kidney disease.
✔ Adults who started their pneumococcal vaccine series with PCV13 but haven’t completed it with PPSV23.

Why Was the Vaccination Age Lowered?

📌 Rising Pneumococcal Disease Cases – After COVID-19, there has been a surge in invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), which has contributed to 50% of COVID-related deaths.
📌 Severe Illness Risk – Pneumococcal infections have a high mortality rate (14-30%), especially in ICU patients (up to 50%).
📌 High-risk groups – Adults over 50 years and those with multiple health conditions are more likely to develop severe complications.
📌 Low Vaccination Rates – In India, only 0.6% of adults over 45 years are vaccinated, despite high mortality rates from pneumococcal disease.

What Are the Updated Vaccine Recommendations?

💉 First Dose: PCV13 (pneumococcal conjugate vaccine) for adults 50 and older.
💉 Second Dose: PPSV23 (pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine) should be given one year later for at-risk individuals or eight weeks later for high-risk patients.

These updated guidelines align with the Indian Consensus Guidelines on Adult Immunization (2024), which support pneumococcal vaccination for all adults over 50 years and younger adults with health conditions.

Why This Matters for You

🔹 Getting vaccinated can help prevent serious pneumococcal infections and reduce hospitalizations.
🔹 If you have diabetes, lung disease, or other chronic conditions, you are at higher risk and should consider getting vaccinated soon.
🔹 Protect yourself and your family—early prevention saves lives!

If you are 50 or older or have a chronic health condition, talk to your doctor about the pneumococcal vaccine. Don’t wait until it’s too late—schedule your vaccination today and protect your health!

To register for our next masterclass please click here https://linktr.ee/docpreneur