Pneumococcal vaccines (Pneumovax 23 and Prevenar 13) protect against disease such as pneumonia caused specifically by the bacterium pneumococcus. Pneumococcal vaccines will not provide protection against COVID-19. There is currently no evidence to suggest that pneumococcal vaccines provide protection against COVID-19 associated pneumonia.
Pneumococcal vaccination is not recommended for healthy adolescents and adults due to their low disease risk. Government funded vaccine should only be used for those particularly vulnerable to pneumococcal infection. These include all:
The following advice has been provided by NSW Health and is being provided to assist you with planning and managing vaccination clinics which is coinciding with the COVID-19 response (also available in PDF format). Immunisation providers should continue to offer immunisation services with enhanced infection control measures. Therefore you must take all possible steps to reduce the risk of transmission to your staff and clients attending vaccination clinics. This document recommends procedures based on current advice to minimise risk. Vaccination providers will have to consider their operational process based on staffing, physical layout of venues, fittings and resources. Additional information on COVID-19 is available from NSW Government - COVID-19.
Now more than ever, it is important to maintain high vaccination coverage levels to prevent outbreaks of vaccine preventable diseases in the community. It is therefore essential that immunisation services continue, in particular for:
It is recommended that signage be displayed at the entrances of all vaccination clinics. Such signage should include:
Remind staff that if they are unwell they must not attend work.
Arrange a process and a checklist to assess each patient as they arrive for their vaccination prior to entering the practice. This could include keeping doors locked and ask patients to call once they are outside.
As always, please contact your local public health unit on 1300 066 055 for all immunisation queries.
ATAGI statement on the considerations for establishing drive-through COVID-19 vaccination clinic sites