Are you 65 or older? Get two vaccinations against pneumonia

Gregory Curfman, MD
Gregory Curfman, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Health Publications






The dark spots are pneumonia-causing Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria isolated from the blood of an infected person. Photo courtesy of the CDC and Prevention Public Health Image Library.



Individuals who have never gotten a pneumonia vaccine should get a dose of PCV13 first, and then get a dose of PPSV23 six to 12 months later. Only a single dose of each vaccine is needed. Those who have already been vaccinated with PPSV23 can get PCV13 later, as long as it’s been at least a year since the PPSV23 vaccination.





  1. Loma Cleave

    Morning this is the first I have heard I have COPD and try really had during winter to avoid lung or chest infections, I will most certainly go see the doctor

    thank you

  2. ALC

    My husband, age 73, had the first pneumonia vaccine 5 years ago. He got pneumonia twice that winter. This year, he had the second vaccine and suffered from non-stop chest colds (no pneumonia, though) for weeks. Is there a correlation?

  3. Patricia Menchan

    Thanks so much for this article. I have two friends who have to get the pneumonia vaccine, but we never knew about this second vaccine! Thanks again.

  4. Alex Roz

    This is really a valuable article for vaccination to prevent pneumonia during late age. sometimes we lost our dear people just for pneumonia. I hope govt. will provide vaccine for free for old people.

  5. James

    Keep this article.