The High Authority for Health recommends vaccination against pneumococcal infections to all over 65s, and no longer only for people at risk of severe form.
- Pneumococcal infections are increasing in France and particularly exhibit people aged 65 and over.
- Faced with this observation, the HAS has decided to expand vaccination against pneumococcal infections with the Prevenar-20 vaccine to all adults 65 and over.
- Vaccination against pneumococcus is single administration and can be done at the same time as that of flu.
If the bacteria streptococcus pneumonia is responsible for rather mild disorders such as otitis or sinusitis, it can also be the cause of more dangerous infections such as meningitis, pneumonia or even bacteremia. It is also the main cause of death during respiratory infections in children under the age of 5 and adults over 65.
This is why the High Authority for Health (HAS) has recommended since July 2023 vaccination against pneumococcal infections to adults at risk. But faced with the increase in cases of infections, especially in seniors in recent months, she reviews her instructions to broaden vaccination to all people over the age of 65.
Pneumococcal infection: all seniors invited to be vaccinated
“Today, the HAS continues its strategy of vaccination simplification. After having autoseis, it recommends expanding vaccination with the prevenar-20 vaccine to all people aged 65 and over, no longer only to people aged 65 and over with comorbidities “explains the health organization in its press release Posted on January 28, 2025.
The health authority specifies having made this decision because it considers that “Age is a risk factor alone to recommend enlargement”. Indeed, 6 out of 10 cases of invasive pneumococcal infections concern adults aged 65 and over. In addition, the severity of these invasive infections is multiplied by three in these patients.
“In addition, half of adults aged 65 and more hospitalized for acute community pneumonia and more than a quarter of patients hospitalized for invasive pneumococcal infection occur in people without comorbidities and who therefore escape current vaccination recommendations”underlines the has.
Studies carried out in England, Spain and Italy have also shown that the cost-effectiveness of the Prevenar-20 vaccine is particularly favorable in 65 and more long-term compared to other existing vaccines.
Pneumococci: How is vaccination going?
Vaccination against pneumococcus is done in a single administration. It can be done concomitantly with seasonal vaccines. Thus, patients have the possibility of doing it at the same time as their injections against flu and COVID-19, if they wish.
With the expansion of vaccination against pneumococcal infections to all 65 and over, the HAS now recommends 4 vaccines (COVID-19, flu and zona, and pneumococcus) and 1 reminder (DTP) to seniors. She also takes advantage of this change of instructions to recall the importance of vaccination for adults between 18 and 64 years old with an increased risk of invasive pneumococcal infection.
