People aged 65 and older should get two doses of pneumococcal vaccines to prevent pneumonia, according to new recommended practices from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
The ACIP has recommended one dose of a pneumonia vaccine, the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine, to seniors since 1997. Now, it is recommending that seniors receive PPSV23 as well as the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine.
Pneumonia remains a major cause of death in seniors. Expanding the use of PCV13 to all adults, in addition to using the PPSV23 vaccine, should serve as added protection against pneumonia.
The ACIP did note that vaccinating adults with both vaccines "can be challenging because of complexities in the timing of the two vaccines, frequency, and intervals between doses." The recommend practices, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, provide a recommended schedule for when the doses should be administered based on patients' age, health conditions and other factors.