Priority is given to people over 73 and ex-covid patients
On the advice of the Health Council, the import of the pneumococcal vaccine for people over 60 will be different than planned. Five questions about the new pneumococcal shot.
1. Who will get the shot?
The advice was at the beginning of this year: everyone aged 60 to 75 years will be offered the pneumococcal shot. In addition, people are invited who are vulnerable due to certain diseases, such as sickle cell anemia or people without a spleen. The Health Council has issued a new advicebecause of the corona outbreak. The RIVM posted a new explanation on June 30th and information about the pneumococcal shot on its website.
2. What has changed?
The people who are vulnerable due to the aforementioned diseases still receive an invitation for the shot. But a new disease has been added to the list: everyone who has lung damage from Covid 19. This is because the pneumococcus can also cause severe pneumonia.
Second change: This fall, people aged 73-79 will be offered the shot. This is the priority for people over 70, as advised by the Health Council. Pneumococcal disease often manifests itself as severe pneumonia, especially in the over 70s. Just like the coronavirus. That is why people who were born between 1941 and 1947 now first receive an invitation.
3. What is the pneumococcal shot for?
Pneumococci are bacteria that can cause serious pneumococcal disease. In the elderly this is usually a serious pneumonia, in children blood poisoning or meningitis. Every year 10,000 people are hospitalized with this, especially people over 60. About 900 people die each year from the bacteria.
Even after curing pneumococcal disease, you can still have health problems, such as heart or lung problems. The pneumococcal vaccine reduces the risk of serious pneumococcal disease. The shot protects for five years.
4. How do you get this vaccine?
The GP will send an invitation for a free pneumococcal shot in the autumn of 2020. This can go hand in hand with the flu shot, which is offered to everyone over 60, but that is not necessary. Children up to the age of 2 also receive a pneumococcal vaccine, because they also run an increased risk of becoming ill from these bacteria.
5. And where is the vaccine against the coronavirus?
Unfortunately there isn’t yet. But we follow developments closely. Read more here, here and here.
