The Australian Immunisation Schedule for the pneumococcal vaccine for adults is changing. The pneumococcal vaccination schedule for children remains unchanged.

New recommendations from 1 July 2020:
– Healthy adults should receive 1 dose of 13vPCV (Prevenar) pneumococcal vaccine at age 70 years.
– Indigenous adults with no risk factors should receive 1 dose of 13vPCV (Prevenar) and 2 doses of 23vPPV (Pneumovax) at age 50 years.

What is the pneumococcal vaccine?
The pneumococcal vaccine helps protect people from pneumococcal disease – which is a bacterial infection that can cause serious illness in young children and older adults.

Our doctors and nurses do not get paid any incentives to administer vaccinations. We have no finanacial ties with pharmaceutical companies. There are no microchips in the pneumococcal vaccine. We want to reduce morbidity and mortality from pneumonia, meningitis and sepsis – which are serious complications of pneumococcal disease.

By getting vaccinated against pneumococcal disease, you can also help protect other people, especially people who are too young to be vaccinated. The more people who are vaccinated in our community, the less likely the disease will spread.