People who turn sixty in 2025 or are older than seventy-eight will soon receive an invitation for a free pneumococcal vaccination. A new vaccine that offers better protection against pneumococcal disease than its predecessor.

Pneumococci are bacteria that many people carry. Usually, you dont notice anything, but especially as you get older, this bacterium can lead to serious illness – even if you are otherwise healthy. The consequences of pneumococcal disease are severe: each year about 8,500 people aged 60 and older are hospitalized. Often with severe pneumonia. Approximately 900 elderly people die from pneumococcal disease in the Netherlands each year.

Better Protection Against Pneumococcal Disease

The new pneumococcal vaccination offers better protection against pneumococcal disease than the previous vaccination. With the new vaccination, you reduce the chance of becoming ill from the pneumococcal bacterium for a longer period. The vaccination is safe. Several countries around us are already vaccinating with this vaccine. After vaccination, you may experience some muscle pain, fatigue, or tenderness at the injection site. These complaints usually disappear within a few days.

Are you 60 years old (born in 1965) or 78 years and older (born in 1947 or earlier)? Then you will receive an invitation from your general practitioner or institutional doctor for this protective vaccination in 2025. Often, you can get the vaccination at the same time as the annual flu shot.

Want to know more about the pneumococcal vaccination? Visit Vaccination Against Pneumococci for Adults.