Brief Update on Vaccine Recommendations

In our fall post about the 24-25 flu and Covid-19 vaccines, I pointed out that guidelines change, and to stay tuned for updated information. Well, here it is! The CDC published new guidelines for both pneumococcal and Covid-19 vaccines a couple of months ago. (No changes to guidelines for the current influenza season, at least so far.)

Pneumococcal vaccine

We call it the pneumonia vaccine because it protects us from infections caused by pneumococcal bacteria. And pneumonia is one of well-known, the life-threatening infections caused by the pneumococcus. But the pneumococcus also causes bloodstream infections (sepsis), brain tissue infections (meningitis) and others. So the "pneumonia" vaccine actually protects us against way more than just pneumonia. There are four pneumococcal vaccines currently in use - our last update was just over two years ago and covered several of them. There's yet another a new one since then, called Capvaxive, or PCV21. The newer ones are considered more effective than the older ones, but they've all been very effective at preventing infections.

Until now, CDC recommended that all everyone 65 years of age and older should get vaccinated against pneumococcus. CDC also recommended vaccination before age 65 for adults underlying health problems, followed by another vaccination after age 65. The big change now is that CDC recommends all adults age 50 and above be vaccinated. So if you're between 50 and 65, you're now eligible for the pneumococcal vaccine.

Why the change?

I wondered about the reason for the change, and thought you might, too. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) keeps a close eye on preventable infectious diseases like pneumonia. They found that many people between the ages of 50 and 65 were at risk for severe disease, but remained unvaccinated. That, despite the fact that those folks were already eligible for vaccination. Their conclusion was that a blanket recommendation for pneumococcal vaccination at age 50 would alert their healthcare providers to talk with them about it earlier. So by changing the recommendations, ACIP and CDC hope that more adults at high risk of severe pneumococcal disease will get vaccinated earlier, and stay healthier because of it.

Does that mean that every healthy person between 50 and 65 needs to be vaccinated right away? From what I can tell, maybe not. It seems the idea is that by opening vaccination to everyone over 50, many more who are at high risk will get vaccinated. So if you're between 50 and 65 and haven't had a pneumococcal vaccine, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. Learn whether a pneumococcal vaccine is right for you at this time.

Covid-19

Then there's the 24-25 update of the Covid-19 vaccine. Many of you already received the updated vaccine this past fall. Me, too. Nobody needs that infection if we can avoid it. At the time, CDC recommended only one dose for the season. Not anymore. Remember, Covid-19 spreads year-round, unlike the flu which tends to have a peak season. ACIP recently looked at data that suggested a booster dose will provide better long term protection for people at higher risk. That includes everyone 65 and older and those under 65 who have immunocompromising conditions. ACIP looked at vaccine side effects and concluded the benefits of a booster outweigh the possibility of problems related to the vaccine. So this booster will be the same 24/25 updated vaccine that was available in the fall, and should be given 6 months after the first dose..

Stay informed to protect your health

Pneumococcal infections and Covid-19 still affect a large number of people every year. Both can cause severe illness, hospitalization, even death. CDC updated vaccine recommendations in order to protect as many people as possible.

If you're between 50 and 64 years of age and haven't yet been vaccinated for pneumococcal disease, talk with your healthcare provider about the pneumococcal vaccine. Come to an agreement about whether it's right for you at this time.

If you're 65 or older, or any age with a compromised immune system, and already vaccinated with the 24-25 Covid vaccine, consider scheduling a booster 6 months or so after your first vaccine. And if you haven't had the updated vaccine yet, now's the time! The protection it provides could make 2025 a much easier year.

As always, we welcome your comments and questions below. Or contact us directly at Better My Meds. We love hearing from you!