Do I Need a Pneumonia Vaccine?

Medically Reviewed by Zilpah Sheikh, MD and Brunilda Nazario, MD on February 17, 2025
Written by Kelli Miller, Sarah Gleim
5 min read

The pneumonia vaccine, also known as the pneumococcal vaccine, is given to prevent infection caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria, or pneumococcus. Pneumococcus is serious and can cause significant illnesses, including pneumonia, as well as ear, sinus, and blood infections.

There are two different types of pneumococcal vaccines:

  • Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs), which include PCV15, PCV20, PCV21
  • Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23)

PCVs are for children aged 5 or younger and adults aged 65 or older. PPSV23 is for children aged 2 to 18 who have certain medical conditions, as well as adults who've had PCV15 or a previous vaccine called PCV13.

Although the pneumonia vaccine can’t prevent all cases, it can lower your chances of catching the infection. And if you’ve had the shot and you get pneumonia anyway, you'll probably have a much milder case.

The pneumonia vaccine is advised for certain groups of people who are at higher risk of getting pneumonia due to age, weakened immune systems, or chronic health conditions. Here's who should get the vaccine:

People aged 50 or older. As you age, your immune system doesn’t work as well as it once did. You’re more likely to have trouble fighting a pneumonia infection. All adults aged 50 and above should get the vaccine.

Children younger than 5.

Adults aged 19-49 with a weakened immune system. Many diseases can cause your immune system to weaken, so it’s less able to fight off infections like pneumonia.

If you have heart disease, sickle cell disease, chronic liver disease, diabetes, emphysema, asthma, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), you’re more likely to have a weakened immune system, which makes you more likely to get pneumonia.

The same goes for people who receive chemotherapy, people who have had organ transplants, and people with HIV or AIDS.

People who smoke. If you’ve smoked for a long time, you could have damage to the small hairs lining the insides of your lungs and help filter out germs. When they’re damaged, they aren’t as good at stopping those bad germs.

Heavy drinkers. If you drink too much alcohol, you may have a weakened immune system. Your white blood cells (which fight infection) don’t work as well as they do for people with a healthy immune system.

People getting over surgery or a severe illness. If you were in the hospital intensive care unit (ICU) and needed a ventilator, you’re at risk of getting pneumonia. The same is true if you’ve just had major surgery or if you’re healing from a serious injury. When your immune system is weak because of illness or injury or because it’s helping you get better from surgery, you can’t fight off germs as well as you normally can.

Not everybody needs to get a pneumonia vaccine. If you’re a healthy adult aged 18-49, you can probably skip the vaccine. Also, avoid it if you’ve had an allergic reaction to the pneumonia vaccine or any of its ingredients. Not sure? Ask your doctor.

Unlike flu season, there’s no such thing as pneumonia season. If you and your doctor decide that you need to have a pneumonia vaccine, you can get it at any time of the year. If it’s flu season, you can get both the pneumonia and flu vaccines at the same time as long as you receive each shot in a different arm.

Where to get the pneumonia vaccine

Getting your pneumonia vaccine is simple and convenient. You can get it at your doctor or health care provider’s office, at your pharmacy, local health department, or a community health clinic. 

How often should you get a pneumonia vaccine?

The good news is the pneumonia vaccine isn’t like the flu vaccine. Most people only have to get the pneumonia vaccine once, and it will protect them for life. But if you're older than 65, you may need two shots. Some people with certain health conditions may also require a second vaccine, so talk to your doctor if you think you might be at high risk.

The pneumonia vaccine is given to children younger than 5 in a four-dose series. Ideally, the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine should be given while they're still younger than 2. They should get the doses at 2, 4, 6, and 12-15 months.

If your child is healthy and between the ages of 2 and 5 but didn’t complete their four-dose series, they should still get either the PCV15 or PCV20 vaccine and follow the recommended dosing and schedule. The same is true for children aged 2 to 6 with some underlying health conditions. 

Talk to your doctor to find out what pneumonia vaccine schedule your child needs to follow.

 

Like all vaccines, pneumonia vaccines work by stimulating your immune system to fight off the bacteria that causes pneumonia. 

The vaccines contain inactive parts of the pneumococcus bacteria. Your body’s immune system identifies that and learns to attack it as a foreign invader. So, if you do come in contact with a live version of pneumococcus bacteria, your immune system’s antibodies will be able to defend your body against it and help prevent you from getting pneumonia. Here are two pneumococcal vaccines and what they protect against:

  • Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (Prevnar): Protects against 13 strains of pneumococci. 
  • Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (Pneumovax): Protects against 23 strains of pneumococcal bacteria.

You cannot get pneumonia from the vaccine. The shots only contain an extract of the pneumonia bacteria, not the live bacteria that cause the illness.

But some people have mild pneumococcal vaccine side effects, including:

  • Swelling, soreness, or redness where you got the shot
  • A mild fever
  • Fussiness or irritability
  • Loss of appetite
  • Sore muscles

Allergic reactions are rare but possible.

The pneumonia vaccine, also known as the pneumococcal vaccine, helps prevent infection caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria, or pneumococcus. The pneumonia vaccine can’t prevent all cases, but it can lower your chances of catching the infection. People aged 50 or older, children younger than 5, and adults aged 19-49 with a weakened immune system should all get the pneumonia vaccine. One vaccine will last your lifetime, and side effects are minimal.

What is the new pneumonia vaccine for seniors?

The two pneumonia vaccines recommended for seniors aged 65 or older are the PCV15 and PCV20. PCV15 protects against 15 types of bacteria that cause pneumococcal disease, and PCV20 protects against 20 different types of bacteria causing pneumococcal disease. Talk to your doctor to see which one is best for you.

When are you eligible for the pneumonia vaccine?

Children as young as 2 months can get the pneumonia vaccine.

Does pneumonia vaccination last for life?

Most people only need to get one pneumonia vaccine, and it lasts for a lifetime. High-risk groups, such as older adults or immunocompromised individuals, may need additional doses.