Pneumonia vaccine and COVID vaccine given together

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that, because of COVID-19, everyone who can get a flu shot should consider getting one this year. But what about the pneumococcal – or “pneumonia” – vaccine? Should you make an appointment for this, too?

“Neither the flu vaccine nor the pneumococcal vaccine protects against COVID-19,” says Melanie Ames, FNP, Family Nurse Practitioner at Charlie W. and Golden Bethune Hill Community Health Clinic. “But that’s not why we’re strongly recommending vaccines like these this year.”

Ames says that by getting a flu shot, a pneumococcal shot or any type of vaccine, you reduce your risk of falling ill and needing medical care. And that helps free up resources that are needed right now to fight the COVID-19 virus.

With that in mind, here’s what to know before asking your doctor for a pneumococcal shot.

The pneumococcal vaccine isn’t recommended for everyone.

Unlike the influenza vaccine, which is recommended for everyone over the age of 6 months, the pneumococcal vaccine is only suggested for the following groups of people:

• All children under the age of 2
• All adults aged 65 and older
• People aged 2 through 64 who have certain medical conditions
• Adults aged 19 through 64 who smoke cigarettes

If you or your loved ones fall into any of these groups, talk to your primary care provider about the pneumococcal shot.

The pneumococcal shot does not protect against COVID-19 pneumonia.

Pneumonia is a lung infection caused by things like bacteria, viruses and fungi. The pneumococcal vaccine provides immunity from some types of pneumococcal bacteria, which cause pneumococcal pneumonia and other types of pneumococcal disease.

“A pneumococcal shot won’t protect you from COVID-19 pneumonia because it’s a different type of pneumonia than pneumococcal pneumonia,” explains Ames. “Pneumococcal pneumonia is caused by pneumococcal bacteria, COVID-19 pneumonia is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.”

But don’t let that deter you from getting a pneumococcal shot — if it’s recommended for you. Pneumococcal bacteria often cause serious, sometimes life-threatening, infections in certain groups of people.

“Again, through any vaccine, you reduce your risk for illness and hospitalization. That’s always important for your health and especially important now during this public health crisis,” Ames says.

The pneumococcal vaccine and flu vaccine can be given at the same time.

Pneumococcal disease is a complication of the flu. If your health care provider recommends it, you can protect yourself from this and save time by getting the pneumococcal vaccine and your annual flu shot at the same time.

You don’t need a pneumococcal shot every year though – most adults only need one dose of each type for life (there are two types). Your doctor can help you determine which type of pneumococcal shot you need and when.

Pfizer said on Wednesday booster doses of its COVID-19 vaccine can be administered along with its pneumonia vaccine and produced strong safety and immune responses in people aged 65 and above in a late-stage study.

The study, initiated in May, tested the company’s next-generation pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, PREVNAR 20, with a third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 shot in 570 participants.

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The aim of the study was to test the safety of the combination and the immune response after adding the pneumonia vaccine to the existing COVID-19 vaccine.

The company said responses elicited by PREVNAR 20 and booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine were similar when given together or with placebo.

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The data provides evidence supporting the potential to administer PREVNAR 20 and the company’s COVID-19 vaccine at the same time, reducing the number of visits people make to doctors or pharmacies for recommended immunization, Pfizer said.

PREVNAR 20 was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in June last year to help protect adults against most invasive pneumococcal diseases and pneumonia.

Study participants were recruited from the companies’ late-stage COVID-19 vaccine study, and those who had received the second dose of the company’s COVID-19 vaccine at least six months before entering the co-administration study.

Read more:

Pfizer confirms experimental COVID pill appears effective against omicron variant

EU evaluates Sobi arthritis drug to treat COVID-19 in adults with pneumonia

Arthritis drugs tocilizumab and sarilumab reduce COVID-19 deaths: Study

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• Pneumonia
• Coronavirus
• Pfizer

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  Can pneumonia vaccine and COVID vaccine be given together?

  Pneumococcal disease and COVID-19 See the most frequently asked questions about the pneumococcal vaccination and COVID-19. No, that is not necessary. You can get both vaccines at the same time or short after each other.

  Can pneumonia vaccine be given with other vaccines?

  You can administer PCV13, PCV15, or PPSV23 at the same time as most other routine childhood vaccinations, with one exception. Do not give PCV13 with Menactra^®, a meningococcal conjugate vaccine. Similar precautions should be used for PCV15.

  Which vaccines can be given together?

  Combination vaccines have been in use in the United States since the mid-1940s. Examples of combination vaccines are: DTap (diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis), trivalent IPV (three strains of inactivated polio vaccine), MMR (measles-mumps-rubella), DTap-Hib, and Hib-Hep B.

  Can you get two different vaccines at the same time?

  Immune systems can respond to many millions of antigens and germs at the same time. This means you can easily build immunity and get protection from multiple vaccines at the same time.