It affects around 1 person in every thousand people each year. The people most at risk from pneumococcal infection are the very young, the very old, those with some blood disorders, people who have had problems with their spleen or have had their spleen removed and those with a long-term illnesses, including asthma. If you fall into one of these groups you should discuss having the vaccination with your doctor. The vaccination is not effective for children under two years of age. Unlike the flu vaccination which should be repeated every year, the pneumococcal vaccination is usually only given once.
Side effects are rare.
Sometimes people feel sore at the place where the injection is given and very rarely they may have a mild fever. You currently have a serious infection. You are either pregnant or breast-feeding. These are vaccinations that are most commonly given to young children as part of the standard childhood immunisation programme. They are also very important for protecting those with severe asthma.