Pneumococcal vaccine

Protect your child against serious illnesses caused by pneumococcal disease

Type of vaccine

Single 13-valent pneumococcal vaccine

Protects against

Invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD)

Primary course

1 dose

Boosters

1

Suitable for ages

Recommended from 8 weeks to 5 years

What is the pneumococcal vaccine?

The pneumococcal vaccine is designed to protect against pneumococcal infections caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae, which can lead to serious illnesses such as pneumonia, blood poisoning (sepsis) and meningitis.

In worst cases, pneumococcal infections can cause permanent brain damage or even kill.

How does the pneumococcal vaccine work?

The pneumococcal vaccine, Prevenar 13, protects against 13 types of Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. It works by helping your child’s body to make antibodies to protect against pneumococcal infections.

This is a conjugate vaccine, which means that sugars have been taken from the capsule around the bacteria and joined to a harmless, non-toxic protein from diphtheria. The protein helps to stimulate the immune system in a broader way to respond well to the vaccine.

Who should have the pneumococcal vaccine?

It is recommended that all infants have this vaccination.

Pneumococcal vaccine FAQs

How effective is the Prevenar 13 pneumococcal vaccine?

The pneumococcal vaccine protects against around 90% of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in young children, with an overall effectiveness of preventing IPD of over 70%.

Like all vaccines, the pneumococcal vaccine can cause side effects. For the majority of people, they’re mild and self-resolve within one or two days.

The most common side effects (affecting more than one out of 10 doses) are:

  • Decreased appetite
  • Fever (only very common in children aged six weeks to five years)
  • Irritability
  • Redness, swelling, pain, tenderness or hardening of the skin at the injection site
  • Sleepiness or poor quality sleep

Common side effects (these may occur with up to one in 10 doses of the vaccine) are:

  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhoea
  • Fever of more than 39°C;
  • Rash

Uncommon side effects (these may occur with up to one in 100 doses of the vaccine) are:

  • Seizures (or fits), including those caused by a high temperature
  • Hives
  • Redness, swelling, or hardness at the vaccination site of more than 7 cm
  • Crying

Rare side effects (these may occur with up to one in 1,000 doses of the vaccine) are:

  • Collapse or shock-like state (hypotonic-hyporesponsive episode)
  • Allergic (hypersensitivity) reaction, including swelling of the face and/or lips, difficulty in breathing

The following side effects include those reported for Prevenar 13 in children and adolescents (6 to 17 years of age):

The most common side effects (these may occur with more than one in 10 doses of the vaccine) are:

  • Decreased appetite
  • Irritability
  • Pain, tenderness, redness, swelling or hardness at the vaccination-site
  • Drowsiness
  • Restless sleep
  • Tenderness at the vaccination-site interfering with movement

Common side effects (these may occur with up to one in 10 doses of the vaccine) are:

  • Headaches
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhoea
  • Rash
  • Hives
  • Fever

In babies born very prematurely (at or before 28 weeks of gestation), longer gaps than normal between breaths may occur for two to three days after vaccination.

This vaccine may not be suitable if your child is allergic to any of the ingredients or to any other vaccine that contains diphtheria toxoid.

You should also let us know if your child has any bleeding problems or bruises easily, has a weakened immune system, has had a seizure in the past or if they were born prematurely.

If your child has a cold, they should still be able to have the vaccine. If, however, they’re feeling very poorly or have a temperature (over 37.4°C), we may suggest that you postpone their vaccine appointment until they’re feeling better.

The pneumococcal vaccine is usually given in your child’s thigh or upper arm.

It is uncertain how long protection from this vaccine lasts. If given in the first few months of life, a booster dose is advisable during a child’s second year. If given between 12 and 23 months of age, then two doses are sufficient; if given over two years of age, only one dose is necessary.

This pneumococcal vaccine can be given as a course of two in the first two years of life or as a single dose from two years of age.

Booster doses of the pneumococcal vaccine can be given to anyone who is at risk of pneumococcal infection.

Yes. Pneumococcal vaccines are usually offered to:

  • People aged 65 and over
  • Anyone from the ages of two to 64 with a health condition that increases their risk of pneumococcal infection
  • Anyone at occupational risk, such as welders and metal workers

Yes. Prevenar 13 can be given at the same time as other childhood vaccines; in this case, different vaccination sites should be used.

Yes. Babies are offered two doses of the Prevenar 13 pneumococcal vaccine at 12 weeks and at one year of age via the NHS.

Pneumococcal vaccine ingredients

Name: Prevenar 13

Age: Suitable from six weeks

Manufacturer: Wyeth

Active ingredients: Each 0.5 mL dose of the vaccine is formulated to contain approximately 2.2 μg of each of Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes 1, 3, 4, 5, 6A, 7F, 9V, 14, 18C, 19A, 19F, 23F saccharides, 4.4 μg of 6B saccharides, 34 μg 26 CRM197 carrier protein*, 100 μg polysorbate 80, 295 μg succinate buffer and 125 μg aluminium as aluminium phosphate adjuvant

* CRM197 is a nontoxic variant of diphtheria toxin isolated from cultures of Corynebacterium diphtheriae strain C7 (β197) grown in a casamino acids and yeast extract-based medium or in a chemically-defined medium

Other ingredients: Sodium chloride, succinic acid, polysorbate 80 and water for injections

Mercury content: Nil

Aluminium content: 0.125mg**

** Some manufacturers’ leaflets reference the amount of the aluminium compound (e.g. aluminium hydroxide), whereas we have calculated the amount of elemental aluminium within the compound

Contains porcine gelatin?: No

Contains dairy products?: Yes

Licensed for use in the UK

Prevenar 13 patient information leaflet: Click to view

Aftercare

We’ll give you detailed aftercare advice for your child after their vaccination(s), including what to do in the event of any side effects.

Your child may experience some redness, tenderness and/or swelling at the injection site, so it’s helpful to expect this. These side effects should self-resolve within a few days.

You can download our Patient Aftercare leaflet here.

If your child is unwell outside of clinic hours, please call 111 for advice or go to A&E if they need urgent medical attention.

Individual advice about the pneumococcal vaccination

Need advice about if and when your child should have the pneumococcal vaccine? The BabyJabs team is here to listen and answer your questions to help you decide.