What is the pneumonia vaccine and who needs it?

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The pneumonia vaccine targets pneumococcus, the bacterium that causes the most serious community pneumonias plus meningitis and bloodstream infections - and the recommendation recently widened: the CDC now recommends the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine for all adults 50 and older, lowered from 65, plus adults 19 to 49 with risk conditions - diabetes, heart, lung, liver or kidney disease, immune compromise, smoking, alcoholism. Children get it in the routine infant series. Most adults need one dose; some with immune compromise need an added dose or spacing based on prior vaccines.

Why the fuss about one bacterium: pneumococcal pneumonia is the kind that puts healthy-seeming people in the ICU, and the risk curve bends upward hard with age and chronic conditions - the vaccine cuts invasive disease substantially.

Practical notes: it is a pharmacy vaccine, one arm, usual soreness for a day or two; it can be given alongside the flu shot; and it protects against the bacterium - it does not prevent every pneumonia, since viruses and other bacteria cause pneumonia too, which is why the flu and COVID shots also count as pneumonia prevention. Prior versions - the old PPSV23 alone, or shots years back - may still call for a newer conjugate dose: the pharmacist can check your record against the current schedule.

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What is the pneumonia vaccine and who needs it?

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