Pneumococcal vaccines: useful against pneumonia caused by COVID-19?

In My Humble Opinion
1

I’ve never had pneumococcal vaccines, and I’m 63. I ought to get them anyway (despite never really having any bronchial issues after colds and flu), but as an added incentive, would the vaccines provide any defense against the pneumonia that COVID-19 can cause?

ETA: this seemed more like a request for general medical advice than a discussion of COVID-19, so I put it in IMHO. Sorry if it’s in the wrong forum.

2

No.

The pneumonia vaccine protects against bacterial pneumonia, more specifically, Streptococcus pneumoniae. The pneumonia caused by covid-19 is viral pneumonia.

Which is not to say the pneumococcal vaccine is useless - it will protect you from bacterial pneumonia as a secondary infection not just in the event of catching covid-19 but any other illness as well. It just won’t do anything against damage caused *directly *by the SARS-COV-2 virus.

3

On my reading, most of the respiratory illness associated with influenza is bacterial pneumonia. You get bacterial pneumonia at the end of your flu, after you’ve been in bed rest (which is bad for you), and have compromised lung function (which is bad for you).

COVID-19 seems to be different: most of the respiratory illness seems to be a direct effect of the COVID virus. And most of the people who die, die fairly soon after going on to ventilation.

You really wouldn’t want to get bacterial pneumonia while recovering from COVID-19. But half the COVID-19 patients who wind up on ventilators die. You also really wouldn’t want to get bacterial pneumonia while that was happening to you.

4

I agree with Melbourne. COVID-19 is a primary cause of Pneumonia. However, if you should come down with it, you’ll be susceptible to secondary infections for a good long time afterwards. It causes enormous lung damage, and wipes out the cilia which are normally your lung’s strongest defense. So getting the vaccines* is an even better idea than usual right now.

5

I just looked. My country recommends pneumococcal vaccination for babies and for people 65 and over, and those at risk. Not recommended for ordinary people.

It appears that this is different from the USA recommendation, which appears to be babies, people at 65, and everybody else who hasn’t already had it.

I don’t know why the recommendations are different. Anyone?

6

Limited supply of vaccine and/or cost of purchasing and administering it.

7

To prevent pneumococcal infections such as pneumonia, bacteremia, and meningitis, recommendations from ACIP (Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices) for adults regarding who should receive pneumovax are as follows:

  1. All adults ≥65 years old and adults <65 years old who are at risk for pneumococcal infection or severe complications from pneumococcal infection. Whether both PCV13 and PPSV23 are indicated and whether revaccination with PPSV23 is indicated vary based on patient age and risk status
  2. For adults ages 19 to 64 years with certain chronic conditions (eg, chronic heart, lung, or liver disease, diabetes mellitus, smoking, alcohol use disorder), give a single dose of PPSV23
  3. For adults with higher risk conditions (ie, immunocompromise, asplenia, cerebrospinal fluid leak, cochlear implant, or history of invasive pneumococcal disease), give both PCV13 and PPSV23
  4. For adults ≥65 years, we give PPSV23. We generally do not give PCV13 unless they have another indication for PCV13 (eg, asplenia, immunocompromise) because the incidence of pneumococcal disease caused by PCV13 serotypes is very low.
8

There is a difference between, “Not recommended for” and “Recommend against.” Vaccination programs are planned on a basis of Return on Investment. How many healthcare dollars are saved by vaccinating Group X? Group Y? How does that compare with the cost of treating the likely number to fall ill?

That is a very different calculation than the average person should be doing for him/herself and family. What is the cost of the vaccination in money, pain, side effects, etc.? What is the risk of an adverse reaction? What is the longevity of the immunity provided? Can you get a booster later on if needed?

9

Things like the ACIP can be bureaucratocally cumbersome, I’d doubt if they’re up to date for the age of coronavirus. You may find people outside of the recommended group would have to pay out of pocket (USA).

10

That’s not the US recommendation as far as I’m aware. I tried to get it three years ago and even though I’m asthmatic, I was turned down by two clinics I asked because I’m considerably younger than 65. I haven’t heard of them giving it to babies, either.