The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has lowered the recommended age for the pneumonia vaccine from 65 to 50 for adults.

“Lowering the age for pneumococcal vaccination gives more adults the opportunity to protect themselves from pneumococcal disease at the age when risk of infection substantially increases,” the CDC said in astatement.

Pneumoniais an infection that can cause inflammation in one or both lungs. The air sacs in the lungs may fill with fluid or pus, leading to symptoms such as chest pain, fever, coughing, and difficulty breathing.

It causes more than a million hospitalizations and more than 50,000 deaths each year, according to the American Lung Association.

Types of Pneumonia

The CDC lowered the recommended age for the pneumonia vaccine to help address existing disparities in disease burden, which were most pronounced in this newly included age group, according to Melissa Dibble, a spokesperson for the CDC.

“Lowering the age should also improve vaccination coverage among adults 50 through 64 years of age, including those with risk conditions,” Dibble told Verywell in an email.

Previously, adults in this age group were advised to get a pneumococcal vaccine only if they had certain health conditions, which posed challenges for healthcare providers, Dibble said.

In addition, studies show that Black adults tend to develop pneumococcal disease at younger ages compared to non-Black adults, which raises important health equity concerns, Dibble explained. Lowering the vaccination age can “help protect adults during these years when their disease rates are proportionally higher,” she added.

The CDC’s decision aligns with recommendations from theAdvisory Committee on Immunization Practices(ACIP), which is responsible for providing advice and guidance on vaccination to federal health agencies.

Since the risk of serious respiratory infections increases with age, adults aged 50 to 64 should be included in vaccination recommendations, even without specific health conditions, according toCharles Bailey, MD, medical director for infection prevention at Providence Mission Hospital and Providence St. Joseph Hospital in Southern California.

CDCdatashowed that almost 90% of people aged 50 to 64 who were hospitalized for pneumococcal pneumonia had at least one underlying health condition that put them at high risk for getting very sick from the disease.

Symptoms of Pneumonia

Who Else Should Get the Pneumonia Vaccine?

The pneumococcal vaccine is recommended for all children younger than 5 years old and children 5 through 18 with certain risk conditions, Dibble said. It’s also recommended for all adults 50 years or older and those who are 19 through 49 with certain risk conditions.

These risk conditions include chronic heart, kidney, liver, or lung disease, diabetes, and those that weaken the immune system, Sams said.

Parents can get the vaccine at their family physician’s office during a routine visit or check-up, said Sams. It is also available through some local clinics, urgent care facilities, or local pharmacies, added Bailey.

“Ideally, you should seek vaccination advice from whoever has provided prior vaccinations since the needed vaccine type and number of doses is dependent on an individual’s prior vaccination history,” said Bailey.

Sans also recommends contacting your healthcare provider about how underlying health conditions and other factors can increase your risk of getting seriously ill to make an informed decision about whether vaccination is right for you.

How Pneumonia Is Treated

What This Means For YouThe pneumococcal vaccine is now recommended for adults 50 or older, down from the previous age of 65. To get the vaccine, reach out to your healthcare provider for more information on eligibility, benefits, effectiveness, and potential side effects.

What This Means For You

The pneumococcal vaccine is now recommended for adults 50 or older, down from the previous age of 65. To get the vaccine, reach out to your healthcare provider for more information on eligibility, benefits, effectiveness, and potential side effects.

5 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.CDC recommends lowering the age for Pneumococcal vaccination from 65 to 50 years old.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.What is pneumonia?.American Lung Association.Five facts you should know about pneumonia.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Pneumococcal vaccination.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Summary of risk-based pneumococcal vaccination recommendations.

5 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.CDC recommends lowering the age for Pneumococcal vaccination from 65 to 50 years old.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.What is pneumonia?.American Lung Association.Five facts you should know about pneumonia.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Pneumococcal vaccination.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Summary of risk-based pneumococcal vaccination recommendations.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.CDC recommends lowering the age for Pneumococcal vaccination from 65 to 50 years old.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.What is pneumonia?.American Lung Association.Five facts you should know about pneumonia.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Pneumococcal vaccination.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Summary of risk-based pneumococcal vaccination recommendations.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.CDC recommends lowering the age for Pneumococcal vaccination from 65 to 50 years old.

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.What is pneumonia?.

American Lung Association.Five facts you should know about pneumonia.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Pneumococcal vaccination.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Summary of risk-based pneumococcal vaccination recommendations.

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