Childhood pneumococcal vaccine added to NIP

A new pneumococcal vaccine covering more strains with a reduced number of doses is now available on the National Immunisation Program (NIP) for children aged under five years.
 
Prevenar 20 replaced Prevenar 13 and Pneumovax 23 on the NIP childhood schedule from 1 September following advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI).
 
From 1 September, the following recommendations are in place for children under five years: 

• Those who have not yet started their pneumococcal schedule should receive three doses of Prevenar 20.
• Infants and children who have previously received one or two doses of Prevenar 13 should receive Prevenar 20 for all following doses to complete the recommended vaccination course (where required).
• Children who have already completed a Prevenar 13 vaccination course and are due for a Pneumovax 23 booster should receive one dose of Prevenar 20 instead. Health professionals are advised not to delay vaccination and that Pneumovax 23 can still be used while stock is available. 

 All Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children should receive four doses of Prevenar 20, as should children diagnosed with risk conditions listed in the Australian Immunisation Handbook. 
 
Risk factors are highest for young children, older adults and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, with the disease still a leading cause of serious illness and death among children under two years.
 
Invasive pneumococcal disease cases have risen in recent years, with 2376 reported in 2024 according to the National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System.
 
RACGP Specific Interests Child and Young Person’s Health Chair Dr Tim Jones, said the availability of the new vaccine on the NIP ‘is good news’.
 
‘There are well over 100 strains of pneumococcal out there, but we’ll now be covering against the 20 dangerous ones rather than the 13 older ones,’ he told newsGP.
 
‘It’s very much in keeping with trying to keep vaccines up to date, giving the most relevant protection and there’ll be no additional side effects or risk to kids.
 
‘We’ve had a pneumococcal vaccine for a long, long time.
 
‘This is just keeping it as relevant as it can be to what’s actually making kids sick.’

Full information can be found within the Australian Immunisation Handbook.
 
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children’s health immunisation invasive pneumococcal disease NIP