Side Effects Of The Pneumococcal Vaccine In Babies
Mild side effects of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine , which is the version of the pneumococcal vaccine given to babies under the age of 2, include:
- a decreased appetite
- redness and swelling at the site of the injection
- feeling sleepy or not sleeping well
Serious side effects of the PCV vaccine are rare, and include:
- a high temperature, possibly leading to convulsions
- allergic reactions, such as an itchy skin rash
What Other Drugs Will Affect Pneumococcal Polysaccharides Vaccine
Before receiving this vaccine, tell your vaccination provider about all other vaccines you have recently received, especially a zoster vaccine.
Also tell the vaccination provider if you have recently received drugs or treatments that can weaken the immune system, including:
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steroid medicine
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medications to treat psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, or other autoimmune disorders or
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medicines to treat or prevent organ transplant rejection.
This list is not complete. Other drugs may affect PPSV, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible drug interactions are listed here.
What Are The Possible Side Effects Of Pcv And Ppsv Vaccines
Kids may have redness, tenderness, or swelling where the shot was given. A child also might have a fever after getting the shot. There is a very small chance of an allergic reaction with any vaccine.
The pneumococcal vaccines contain only a small piece of the germ and so cannot cause pneumococcal disease.
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Who Shouldnt Have The Pneumonia Vaccine
Theres a long list of people who should have the pneumonia vaccine. Even if youre not on the list you may want to get the vaccine. Speak to a pharmacist in your local store today for more advice.
There are also some people who should avoid it:
- If youve previously had a severe allergic reaction to the pneumonia vaccine or any ingredients it contains, you probably wont be able to get the jab.
- If you have a fever and youre feeling unwell youll probably need to delay your vaccine appointment until youve recovered.
- If youre pregnant, you may want to wait to receive your vaccine until youve had your baby. The vaccine is generally thought to be safe for pregnant women, but there may still be a small risk for you and your baby until youve given birth.
How Are Cvs Pharmacy And Minuteclinic Different

At the pharmacy, vaccinations for adolescents through seniors are administered by a certified immunizationâtrained pharmacist. Age and state restrictions apply. No appointment necessary.
At MinuteClinic, vaccinations for children all the way through seniors are administered by a nurse practicioner or a physician associate.* No appointment necessary.
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Persons New To Canada
Health care providers who see persons newly arrived in Canada should review the immunization status and update immunization for these individuals, as necessary. Review of pneumococcal vaccination status is particularly important for persons from areas of the world where sickle cell disease is present, as persons with sickle cell disease are at risk of serious pneumococcal infections. In many countries outside of Canada, pneumococcal conjugate vaccine is in limited use. Refer to Immunization of Persons New to Canada in Part 3 for additional information about vaccination of people who are new to Canada.
Allergic Reaction To The Pneumonia Vaccine
In rare cases, people have an allergic reaction to the pneumonia vaccine shortly after receiving their jab. This is known as anaphylaxis, and it can be life-threatening.
The good news is, all doctors, nurses and pharmacists who administer the jab are trained to deal with anaphylaxis. If you happen to have a severe reaction, the medical professional who gave you the jab will be able to carry out emergency treatment.
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What To Do If Your Child Is Unwell After The Vaccine
Its possible that your child may feel unwell after receiving a dose of the pneumococcal vaccine. Should this happen, there are ways to help ease their symptoms.
If your child has a fever, try to keep them cool. You can do this by providing cool liquids for them to drink and ensuring theyre not wearing too many layers.
Tenderness, redness or discoloration, and swelling at the site of the shot can be eased by applying a cool compress. To do this, wet a clean washcloth with cool water and place it gently on the affected area.
Symptoms like fever and pain at the site of the shot may be alleviated using over-the-counter medications like acetaminophen or ibuprofen . Be sure to use the infant formulation and to carefully follow the dosing instructions on the product packaging.
Prior to being approved for use, the safety and effectiveness of all vaccines must be rigorously evaluated in clinical trials. Lets take a look at some of the research into the effectiveness of pneumococcal vaccines.
A evaluated the effectiveness of the PCV13 vaccine in children. It found that:
- The vaccine effectiveness of PCV13 against the 13 pneumococcal strains included in the vaccine was 86 percent.
- The vaccine effectiveness against pneumococcal disease due to any strain of S.pneumoniae was 60.2 percent.
- The effectiveness of PCV13 didnt differ significantly between children with and without underlying health conditions.
The CDC also notes that more than
You shouldnt get the PCV13 vaccine if youre:
Acip Guidelines Aged 2
Any of the following conditions:
Chronic heart disease
Chronic lung disease
Diabetes mellitus Cerebrospinal fluid leak
Cochlear implant
Sickle cell disease and other hemoglobinopathies
Anatomic or functional asplenia
Chronic renal failure
Nephrotic syndrome
Diseases associated with immunosuppressive drugs or radiation therapy, including malignant neoplasms, leukemias, lymphomas, and Hodgkin disease solid organ transplantation or congenital immunodeficiency
Dosage for high risk 2-5 years olds
- 1. Administer 1 dose of PCV13 if 3 doses of PCV were received previously
- 2. Administer 2 doses of PCV at least 8 weeks apart if fewer than 3 doses of PCV13 were received previously
- 3. Administer 1 supplemental dose of PCV13 if 4 doses of PCV7 or other age-appropriate complete PCV7 series was received previously
- 4. The minimum interval between doses of PCV is 8 wk
- 5. For children with no history of PPSV23 vaccination, administer PPSV23 at least 8 wk after the most recent dose of PCV13
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This Vaccine Side Effects
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives difficult breathing swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
You should not receive a booster vaccine if you had a life threatening allergic reaction after the first shot.
Keep track of all side effects you have. If you need a booster dose, you will need to tell the vaccination provider if the previous shot caused any side effects.
Becoming infected with pneumococcal disease is much more dangerous to your health than receiving this vaccine. However, like any medicine, this vaccine can cause side effects but the risk of serious side effects is low.
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wheezing, trouble breathing
Common side effects may include:
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pain, warmth, swelling, redness, or a hard lump where a shot was given
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muscle pain
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headache or
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feeling weak or tired.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report vaccine side effects to the US Department of Health and Human Services at 1-800-822-7967.
Children At High Risk Of Ipd
Infants at high risk of IPD due to an underlying medical condition should receive Pneu-C-13 vaccine in a 4 dose schedule at 2 months, 4 months and 6 months followed by a dose at 12 to 15 months of age. Table 3 summarizes the recommended schedules for Pneu-C-13 vaccine for infants and children at high risk of IPD due to an underlying medical condition by pneumococcal conjugate vaccination history.
In addition to Pneu-C-13 vaccine, children at high risk of IPD due to an underlying medical condition should receive 1 dose of Pneu-P-23 vaccine at 24 months of age, at least 8 weeks after Pneu-C-13 vaccine. If an older child or adolescent at high risk of IPD due to an underlying medical condition has not previously received Pneu-P-23 vaccine, 1 dose of Pneu-P-23 vaccine should be administered, at least 8 weeks after Pneu-C-13 vaccine. Children and adolescents at highest risk of IPD should receive 1 booster dose of Pneu-P-23 vaccine refer to Booster doses and re-immunization. Refer to Immunocompromised persons for information about immunization of HSCT recipients.
Table 3: Recommended Schedules for Pneu-C-13 Vaccine for Children 2 months to less than 18 years of age, by Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccination History
Age at presentation for immunization | Number of doses of Pneu-C-7, Pneu-C-10 or Pneu-C-13 previously received |
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Why It Is Used
Pneumococcus is a type of bacteria that can cause severe infections, such as pneumonia, meningitis, and blood infections . These infections can be serious and can even cause death, especially in people who have impaired immune systems, older adults, and children younger than 2 years of age.
Doctors use two types of pneumococcal vaccines for routine immunization: pneumococcal conjugate or pneumococcal polysaccharide . The type of vaccine used depends on a person’s age.
- Pneumococcal conjugate
- PCV is recommended for routine use in babies who get 3 or 4 doses depending on your provincial recommendations.
- Children from 1 to 18 years old may be recommended to get an extra dose if they did not get all the doses as a baby. They may also need an extra dose if they have certain medical conditions that place them at high risk for infection with pneumococcus.
- The vaccine may be recommended for adults at high risk for infection with pneumococcus. This recommendation depends on the medical condition the adult has and on provincial recommendations.
What May Interact With This Medicine

- medicines for cancer chemotherapy
- medicines that suppress your immune function
- steroid medicines like prednisone or cortisone
This list may not describe all possible interactions. Give your health care provider a list of all the medicines, herbs, non-prescription drugs, or dietary supplements you use. Also tell them if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs. Some items may interact with your medicine.
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Pneumonia Vaccine Injury Compensation
If you or a loved one has suffered an adverse reaction, illness, severe or mild side effects, and/or a shoulder injury after receiving the pneumonia vaccine, you may qualify for compensation from a federal program called the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. Call the national vaccine injury attorneys at My Vaccine Lawyer for more information. Not only is the phone call free, but our representation comes at no cost to you.
Who Should Not Get Vaccinated Or Should Wait
- Anyone who has had a lifeâthreatening allergic reaction to any component of the vaccine Prevnar 7 or any vaccine containing diphtheria toxoid: CDC.gov/Vaccines/VPD/Pneumo/Public/Index.html
- Anyone who is moderately or severely ill when the shot is scheduled should wait until feeling better
- For information regarding additional warnings and precautions, please visit: CDC.gov/Vaccines/VPD/Pneumo/HCP/Recommendations.html#Contraindications-Precautions
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How Should I Use This Medicine
This vaccine is for injection into a muscle. It is given by a health care professional.
A copy of Vaccine Information Statements will be given before each vaccination. Read this sheet carefully each time. The sheet may change frequently.
Talk to your pediatrician regarding the use of this medicine in children. While this drug may be prescribed for children as young as 6 weeks old for selected conditions, precautions do apply.
Overdosage: If you think you have taken too much of this medicine contact a poison control center or emergency room at once.
NOTE: This medicine is only for you. Do not share this medicine with others.
What Are The Possible Side Effects Of Pneumococcal Immunisation
All medicines and vaccines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time theyre not.
For most people, the chance of having a serious side effect from a vaccine is much lower than the chance of serious harm if you caught the disease.
Talk to your doctor about possible side effects of pneumococcal vaccines, or if you or your child have symptoms after having a pneumococcal vaccine that worry you.
Common side effects of pneumococcal vaccines include:
- pain, redness and swelling where the needle went in
- fever
- reduced appetite
- body aches.
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Medical Conditions Resulting In High Risk Of Ipd
Table 1: Medical Conditions Resulting in High risk of IPD
Non-immunocompromising conditions
IPD is more common in the winter and spring in temperate climates.
Spectrum of clinical illness
Although asymptomatic upper respiratory tract colonization is common, infection with S. pneumoniae may result in severe disease. IPD is a severe form of infection that occurs when S. pneumoniae invades normally sterile sites, such as the bloodstream or central nervous system. Bacteremia and meningitis are the most common manifestations of IPD in children 2 years of age and younger. Bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia is the most common presentation among adults and is a common complication following influenza. The case fatality rate of bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia is 5% to 7% and is higher among elderly persons. Bacterial spread within the respiratory tract may result in AOM, sinusitis or recurrent bronchitis.
Disease distribution
Worldwide, pneumococcal disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. The World Health Organization estimates that almost 500,000 deaths among children aged less than 5 years are attributable to pneumococcal disease each year. In Canada, IPD is most common among the very young and adults over 65 years of age.
Patients In Health Care Institutions
Residents of long-term care facilities should receive Pneu-P-23 vaccine. Refer to Recommendations for Use for information about pneumococcal vaccination of individuals at increased risk of IPD. Refer to Immunization of Patients in Health Care Institutions in Part 3 for additional information about vaccination of patients in health care institutions.
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How Do You Get Immunised Against Pneumococcal Disease
You can only get pneumococcal vaccines on their own, not as a combination vaccine. Different vaccines protect against different types of pneumococcal disease. They are all given as a needle.
There are 2 types of pneumococcal vaccine:
- Pneumovax 23 – PDF 21 KB – covers 23 strains of pneumococcal disease.
The type of vaccine used and the dosage schedule will depend on age and any conditions that put people at higher risk of getting pneumococcal disease. Your doctor can tell you which vaccine they will use for your pneumococcal immunisation.
How Do You Catch Pneumococcus

Pneumococcus is a bacterium that is commonly found lining the surface of the nose and the back of the throat in fact, about 25 of every 100 people are colonized with pneumococcus. Many children will come in contact with pneumococcus sometime in the first two years of life. Because most adults have immunity to pneumococcus, a mother will passively transfer antibodies from her own blood to the blood of her baby before the baby is born. The antibodies that the baby gets before birth usually last for a few months. However, as these maternal antibody levels diminish, the baby becomes vulnerable. Most children who first come in contact with pneumococcus don’t have a problem. But every year tens of thousands of children suffer severe, often debilitating, and occasionally fatal infections with pneumococcus most of these children were previously healthy and well nourished.
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An Ounce Of Prevention Is Worth A Pound Of Cure
In the 1940s all of the strains of pneumococcus could be treated with the antibiotic, penicillin. However, over time many pneumococcal strains have become resistant not only to penicillin, but also to other antibiotics developed to combat bacterial infections. Resistance means that bacteria have changed, or evolved, so that they are no longer killed by one or more antibiotics. As a result, treatment with those antibiotics is not effective against those resistant strains.
Strains of pneumococcus have now been identified that are highly resistant to most antibiotics. Our reliance on and overuse of antibiotics have led to this resistance, backing us into a corner when treating infections caused by these and other types of bacteria. Unfortunately, we have taken our first steps into a post-antibiotic era. This makes the use of vaccines all the more important.
Side Effects Requiring Immediate Medical Attention
Along with its needed effects, pneumococcal 13-valent vaccine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor or nurse immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking pneumococcal 13-valent vaccine:
More common
- skin itching, rash, or redness
- sneezing
- swelling of the face, throat, or tongue
- tightness in the chest
- blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin
- bloody or cloudy urine
- difficult, burning, or painful urination
- dilated neck veins
- large, hive-like swelling on the face, eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet, or sex organs
- lightheadedness
- lower back or side pain
- muscle aches and pains
- puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
- rapid, shallow breathing
- sores, ulcers, or white spots in the mouth or on the lips
- sweating
- swelling of the face, fingers, feet, or lower legs
- swollen, painful, or tender lymph glands in the neck, armpit, or groin
- trouble sleeping
- weight gain
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