Pneumococcal Vaccination Service
A pneumococcal vaccination can help prevent pneumococcal infections that can cause serious illness and can even be fatal in extreme cases. Pneumonia, sepsis (blood poisoning) and meningitis are among the most common infections that develop in unvaccinated individuals.
Imaan pharmacies provide a pneumococcal vaccine service to help protect those against these risks.
Why You Should Get Vaccinated
While certain at-risk individuals are eligible for a free NHS pneumococcal vaccine, not everyone meets this criteria. Yet it is still possible for anyone to contract a pneumococcal infection.
Those aged under 2, over 65, or 2-65 with a serious long-term health condition are eligible for the NHS jab. If you do not meet this criteria, you can book a private pneumococcal jab with us to keep yourself safe.
The pneumococcal vaccine has been found to be very effective among children – as childhood vaccination rates have increased, the prevalence of pneumococcal disease has greatly reduced. In older children and adults, the pneumococcal jab is thought to be 50-70% effective at preventing disease.
Types of Pneumococcal Vaccination
There are two types of pneumococcal vaccine you will be offered:
- The pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23)
- The pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13)
Both vaccines protect against many types of pneumococcal bacteria, but not all. Your pharmacist will advise on which vaccine is right for you.
Side effects of the pneumococcal vaccine are usually very mild. The most common side effects include:
- Redness and swelling around the injection site
- Tenderness around the injection site
- Headache
- Muscle ache and tiredness
Pneumococcal vaccines are encouraged at the same time as flu season due to the similar nature of the infections they protect against.
While there is some crossover – e.g. the flu jab offers protection against pneumonia – it is recommended to get both jabs in order to receive the fullest protection possible during flu season when prevalence rates increase.
Our pharmacies provide the pneumococcal jab for a discounted price if you book it alongside a private flu jab.
For more information, visit the NHS Pneumococcal Vaccine Overview.
If you’re a healthy adult between the ages of 18 to 50, you will likely not need to get the vaccine as you are unlikely to contract any pneumococcal conditions.
You also should not get a pneumococcal vaccine if you have an allergy to anything in the vaccine. If you are unsure, ask one of our healthcare assistants for more information
You can the vaccine at any time. There is no such thing as “pneumonia season” and it is not more prominent at one part of the year than any other. If it’s flu season, you can get both a pneumococcal and flu vaccine at the same time as long as you receive each shot in a different arm.