Get pneumococcal vaccination after 65
In a trial of 84,500 older adults, the 13-valent vaccine prevented about 46% of pneumonia caused by covered strains and 75% of invasive infections, the most serious form. It did not show a benefit against pneumonia from all causes, so it cannot prevent every case.
What it takes
Several hundred renminbi in China; some areas provide it free to older adults.
What you may gain
A Dutch randomized trial of approximately 84,500 adults aged 65 or older tested the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. Efficacy against vaccine-type pneumonia was 45.6% (95.2% CI 21.8–62.5); vaccine-type means caused by one of the strains covered. Efficacy against invasive pneumococcal disease was 75.0% (95% CI 41.4–90.8). It showed no benefit against all-cause pneumonia.
Context & considerations
Protection is limited to covered strains; vaccination does not make pneumonia impossible. Chinese older adults commonly receive the 23-valent polysaccharide vaccine, a different product from the 13-valent conjugate vaccine in this trial. These efficacy figures cannot be transferred directly to it.
Research & references
Bonten MJ, Huijts SM, Bolkenbaas M, et al. (2015). Polysaccharide conjugate vaccine against pneumococcal pneumonia in adults. New England Journal of Medicine, 372(12), 1114-1125. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1408544