Eligibility for National Immunisation Program-funded pneumococcal vaccines has also been expanded to cover more chronic diseases.
More pneumococcal vaccines will be available via the National Immunisation Program for more Australians, under changes coming into effect from Wednesday.
The new, 21-valent conjugate vaccine Capvaxive (Merck Sharp & Dohme) covers additional strains of the disease and will be replacing both Prevenar 13 and Pneumovax 23 on the NIP.
NIP-funded pneumococcal immunisation for adults was previously restricted to adults aged 70 years and over, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults aged 50 years and over.
It will now be subsidised for all adults aged 65 years and over, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults aged 25 years and over.
Patients with COPD, chronic liver disease, and chronic bronchitis and emphysema will also be eligible to receive the new vaccine on the NIP.
People who have already received a dose of any other pneumococcal vaccine are recommended and eligible to receive a dose of Capvaxive, so long as more than 12 months has elapsed since their previous immunisation.
Currently, adult vaccination rates for pneumococcal are about half of those of children.
Only one dose of Capvaxive is needed.
The new vaccine can be delivered at the same time as zoster, influenza, RSV, and covid vaccines.
“Vaccination is the best way to protect against pneumococcal disease and serious illness, and these changes will take that protection to a new level for Australians,” health minister Mark Butler said.
“I encourage eligible Australians to protect themselves and their community by getting vaccinated against pneumococcal.”
There are no changes to the eligibility of children and adolescents for pneumococcal vaccination and no changes to the vaccine used for under-18s.
