Who should receive the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine?
Children under the age of 2 should receive a routine schedule of four doses with one dose being received at the following ages: • 2 months • 4 months • 6 months • 12 to 15 months Children between the ages of 2 and 18 years who were not vaccinated against pneumococcal disease and are at high risk of becoming infected with this disease should receive the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. This includes children with: • sickle cell disease, HIV/AIDS, chronic heart disease or liver disease • a damaged spleen or no spleen • weakened immune systems due to other diseases or medications If a child has had a life-threatening allergic reaction to a component of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine or to a previous dosage of this vaccine, the vaccine should not be used. Children with minor illnesses should receive the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, but those with moderate-to-severe illnesses should wait until they are fully recovered to receive this vaccine. Review the vaccination schedule for those
