The pneumococcal vaccination provides protection against infections caused by bacteria called pneumococcus. These infections are called pneumococcal infections.
There are many different types of pneumococcus bacteria. Examples of the infections they can cause include:
Groups of people at risk from pneumococcal infections
Some groups of people have a higher risk of a pneumococcal infection developing into a serious health condition, including:
- children under two
- adults aged 65 or over
- children and adults with some chronic (long-term) health condition
These groups of people need to be vaccinated against pneumococcal infections. See the Health A-Z for more information about when the pneumococcal vaccination should be used.
Pneumococcal vaccine
There are two types of pneumococcal vaccine:
- pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV): given to all children under two as part of the childhood vaccination programme
- pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV): given to people aged 65 or over and people at increased risk
See the Health A-Z for more information about the two types of vaccine, including how they work.
Read the answers to more questions about vaccinations.
Further information:
