Pneumococcaldisease is a group of contagious diseases caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae).
This bacterium commonly causes serious infections and diseases.
Risks include: infection of the lungs (pneumonia), swelling of the brain (meningitis) and blood infections (septicemia).
Older adults have a greater risk for complications and death from pneumococcaldisease because they often have multiple health conditions and illnesses and less responsive immune systems.
- Pneumonia increases your risk of death for up to 10 years after infection
- Older adults, especially those with a compromised immune system or living with chronic conditions are at higher risk of contracting pneumonia
- Adults with common chronic conditions are 3-9 times more likely to be hospitalized for pneumonia
- Seniors who are hospitalized with pneumonia are 2.5 times more likely to suffer cognitive impairment
- 15% of seniors who contract pneumonia don’t survive
- Seniors in long-term care are at increased risk of contracting pneumonia. 62% of reported outbreaks in 2018-19 were in long-term care facilities, and a further 22% were in other settings (e.g. retirement homes, correctional facilities, etc.)
Significant progress has been made to help protect against pneumonia with the introduction of pneumococcal vaccines. However, the disease pattern in adults has changed due to the benefit provided to adults from routine childhood vaccines. Vaccination is still recommended in adults to help protect against pneumonia. In Canada, there are a number of vaccines recommended for older adults by the National Adivsory Committee on Immunizations (NACI). These are: Pneu-C-20, Pneu-C-15, Pneu-C-13 and Pneu-P-23. There are regional and risk-factor exceptions. You can speak to your doctor about which would be best for you.
Unfortunately, free adult public vaccination programs have not kept up with the latest technology and only provide pneumococcal vaccines that were approved decades ago. A recent CARP survey shows that the vast majority of respondents (more than 90%) want the provincial/territorial governments to fund and encourage greater use of pneumococcal vaccines, including new ones. This is why we need to demand that our provincial/territorial governments make the appropriate investments to update their adult vaccination programs with the latest approved and recommended pneumococcal vaccines. CARP is also urging the federal government to allocate additional funding to the provinces/territories so they can provide all of the latest and best available expert recommended adult vaccines to seniors in Canada.
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