We were out last night, and a friend said she was getting the “newest pneumonia vaccine”. Like me, she has already had two previous pneumonia vaccine shots (IIRC, the last one I had was supposedly a forever shot).
Anyone have any info about this newest pneumonia vaccine?
I just got it. My doctor said it’s better than the previous ones and it’s a one and done. I have to say that I probably felt worse than any of my recent covid vaccines and it lasted for about three days, but nothing that would have stopped me from going about my day.
I got it too. It hurt when I got it, and my arm was sore for a couple of days, plus I felt just a little off (not as bad as I feel with COVID shots) the day after. My husband felt a little worse than he normally does when he got it.
They told me the last one was “one and done” too.
I see my PCP this week and I’m guessing she will suggest I get this shot. And I will. After Thanksgiving!
Presumably, the “new” one is PCV21 (Capvaxive, from 2024) or PCV20 (Prevnar 20, from 2021).
See this post in a previous thread on what serotypes each covers.
In 2024 (pre-RFK), the CDC recommended PCV20 or PCV21 for adults age 50+.
My husband who is 66 and immunocompromised, received this shot this year at his annual physical - Pneumococcal Conjugate (PCV20). He had previously gotten the older pneumonia vaccine in 2019. He was told this one will cover more types of pneumonia than the one from 6 years ago.
Our doctor recommended it for my husband and I at our recent visits. We’re 62 and 63. Neither of us had much of a reaction. The doctor said “one and done” and I said “really?” and he said “well, until they change things.”
I had no idea there was a new vaccine. I need to look into this as I have had a few bouts with pneumonia ( last one in 2022 post Covid).
We are scheduled to see H’s internist on Monday—will ask her if it’s one we have already gotten it we should get this one. We send her details of every shot we get.
I got it a few months ago and had an intense serum sickness like reaction with joint pains, fever, and rash. This is an idiosyncratic reaction but supposedly this version is more reactive than Prevnar. I made sure my elderly parents got Prevnar but I do know of others my age (50) that tolerated it
Yes, in 2019, he would likely have gotten PCV15 (Vaxneuvance) since PCV20 (Prevnar 20) came out in 2021 and PCV21 (Capvaxive) came out in 2024. PPSV23 is much older, but PPSV vaccines are less effective than PCV vaccines, so PPSV23 has been used as more of a supplement to PCV vaccines that covered fewer serotypes (PCV15, PCV13, PCV10, PCV7).
Note: “Prevnar” has been used as a brand for older vaccines (PCV13 was Prevnar 13, and PCV7 was Prevnar with no number).
Image showing which serotypes each covers:
Yes, the PCV vaccines are considered “one and done” for vaccination against the serotypes covered. However, if a new PCV vaccine covers additional serotypes, someone previously vaccinated with an older PCV vaccine may still want the newer one to cover the additional serotypes.
Someone who wants maximum coverage from current vaccines may want to get both PCV21 and PCV20, but current guidelines recommend PCV21 or PCV20 (meaning exclusive-or), not both, so convincing providers (and insurance if you want insurance to pay) may not be that easy.
Just called my PCP’s office and they know nothing about a new pneumonia vaccine.
I got pcv20 last month during my annual physical. I guess it was the latest they offered.
Depends on how new is “new”.
The newest pneumonia vaccines are:
The most recent recommendation is PCV21 or PCV20 (not both), although the optimal coverage of serotypes would be to get both (but it may be difficult to get providers to give both or insurance companies to pay for both).
If you last had pneumonia vaccine before 2021, it was probably something like PCV13 that covered fewer serotypes. If you previously had PCV13, you may prefer getting PCV21 over PCV20 in order to get greater serotype coverage, since PCV20 duplicates PCV13 but adds 7 more, while PCV21 duplicates fewer of the PCV13 serotypes in favor of more different ones.
(Edited, the previous vaccine before 2021 was PCV13 not PCV15.)
@ucbalumnus -thanks. That is helpful. I need to go back and see when I had mine.
Phew. It looks like I have had the latest vaccine a few months ago. I had pneumonia last winter and it was not fun.
Mr. B and I got our shots yesterday. Flu, Covid, and PCV21. I have not had any pneumonia shots, and Mr. had the old version. Our insurance covered it all. So far, so good; the only side effects are some sleepiness and slightly sore arm (we sacrificed one arm each 
).
We asked H’s internist. It seems we got the latest pneumonia shots last year at CVS, so we are good.