Pneumococcal vaccination for older persons

Every year about 2,600 to 5,600 older persons are hospitalised with pneumococcal pneumonia and about 1,800 with invasive pneumococcal disease. Mortality in these hospitalised patients is estimated to be 15% on average. With vaccination the number of hospital admissions and deaths can be reduced considerably. Therefore the Health Council of the Netherlands recommends the State Secretary for Health, Welfare and Sport to offer pneumococcal vaccination to older persons aged 60 to 75, every five years, with the PPV23 vaccine. This vaccination strategy will not prevent all cases of pneumococcal disease, but poses practically no risks and is cost-effective.