Experts from the Oregon Health Authority, other state organizations, or community partners respond to inquiries. Permission is obtained to republish questions and replies.
Q: I’m in my seventies and have already received the Prevnar 13 and pneumonia vaccinations. Now that Prevnar 20 is available, the medical websites I’ve read don’t explicitly state whether or not I should get the vaccine. What are your thoughts?Eagle Point, Alison
A: Alison, we believe that the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine, which guards against 23 types of pneumococcus, is what you mean when you mention the pneumonia vaccination (PPSV23). Although there are numerous strains covered by this vaccination, the immunological response it produces is not as strong as that of pneumococcalconjugate vaccines (PCVs), which are commonly marketed under the brand Prevnar.
You may be eligible for the PCV20 or PCV21 Prevnar vaccines if you have had both PPSV23 and Prevnar 13 (PCV13); however, you should consult your physician to determine whether you truly need them. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) refer to PCV20 and PCV21 as alternatives rather than recommendations, and this is known as shared clinical decision making:
Adults 65 years of age or older have the choice to get PCV20 or PCV21 or to forego further pneumococcal vaccinations, according to shared clinical decision-making. If they have had both, they can receive either PCV20 or PCV21:
— PCV13 at any age (but not PCV15, PCV20, or PCV21), and
— PPSV23 at age 65 or later.
This CDC table provides more information on pneumococcal vaccine recommendations.
Please use this form to report any questions you may have for the Oregon Health Authority regarding health-related matters. The agency will make an effort to address questions that will be of interest to a wide audience, even though it cannot answer all of them. Please be aware that OHA is not qualified to offer precise medical advice regarding individual medical issues.
