Pneumonia shots, specifically pneumococcal vaccines, are given according to age and health risk factors. For children younger than 5 years, the CDC recommends a 4-dose series of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV15 or PCV20) at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, and between 12 to 15 months of age. For adults 50 years or older, one dose of PCV15, PCV20, or PCV21 is recommended if they have never received any pneumococcal conjugate vaccine before. If PCV15 is used, a follow-up dose of PPSV23 pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine is given one year later. Adults 65 years or older have options to receive PCV20 or PCV21 or no additional pneumococcal vaccine based on shared clinical decision-making, especially if they had prior PCV13 and PPSV23 at 65 or older. Generally, one to two doses of pneumococcal vaccines offer long-lasting or possibly lifelong protection for adults, though some may need additional shots 1 to 5 years later based on vaccination history and risk factors. Infants and young children need multiple doses over months as their immune systems develop. In summary, infants typically get 4 doses within the first 15 months, and adults 65+ get at least one dose, possibly followed by additional doses years later depending on prior vaccination and risk profile. Adults aged 19-64 with certain health conditions or risk factors may also require one to three doses. This vaccination schedule aims to provide optimal protection tailored by age and health status to prevent pneumococcal pneumonia and related infections.
