Pneumococcal Vaccines

Pneumococcal Vaccines

Pneumococcal Vaccines

Vaccination can help protect against pneumococcal disease.1

Benefits of pneumococcal vaccines

You can’t get pneumococcal pneumonia from getting vaccinated because pneumococcal vaccines do not contain live bacteria.3

You can’t get pneumococcal pneumonia from getting vaccinated because pneumococcal vaccines do not contain live bacteria.3

Vaccination can help protect you from pneumococcal disease.1

Vaccination can help protect you from pneumococcal disease.1

You do not have to get vaccinated every year.2,3

You do not have to get vaccinated every year.2,3

True or False?

You can’t get pneumococcal pneumonia by getting vaccinated.

True

False

True

That’s right.

You can’t get pneumococcal pneumonia from a vaccine because pneumococcal vaccines do not contain live bacteria.3

Understand your risk

False

The truth is you can’t get pneumococcal pneumonia from getting vaccinated
because pneumococcal vaccines do not contain live bacteria.3

Talk to your doctor

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know-this-hk

There are different types of pneumococcal vaccines in the market 4-6,

Conjugate vaccine
(e.g. PCV20, PCV15)
Polysaccharide vaccine
(e.g. PPSV23)
Vaccine technology
New
Old
Immune response
Long lasting
Short term memory (~5 years)
Indication
6 weeks or above
2 years or above
No. of serotypes included
Up to 20 serotypes
23 serotypes
Serotype coverage
Up to 71%
73%

Talk to your doctor

Talk to your
doctor

All pneumococcal vaccines are prescription medicines. Efficacy and side effects may vary among individuals due to different physical conditions and symptoms. Please consult your doctor or pharmacist for details.

References

  1. National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. What is pneumococcal disease? Available at: www.nfid.org/infectious-disease/pneumococcal/. Accessed Jul 2025.
  2. Centre for Health Protection Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases. Updated recommendations on the use of pneumococcal vaccines for high-risk individuals. Available at: www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/updated_recommendations_on_the_use_of_pneumococcal_vaccines_amended_120116_clean_2.pdf. Accessed Jul 2025.
  3. Immunize.org. Pneumococcus: Questions and answers. Available at: www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4213.pdf. Accessed Jul 2025.
  4. Pneumococcal polysaccharide conjugate vaccine, 20-valent adsorbed, Prescribing Information.Pfizer Corporation Hong Kong Limited: Version July 2024.
  5. Ask the Experts: Pneumococcal: Recommendations for Children. Available at: https://www.immunize.org/ask-experts/topic/pneumococcal/recommendations-children/ Accessed Nov 2025
  6. Ladhani SN, et al. Lancet Infect Dis 2018;18:441-451.