Ministry Of Health Saudi Arabia

Why do we need vaccination? Can’t we use antibiotics to cure the disease?

As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure; especially in the case of pneumococcal disease, as the bacteria may develop resistance to antibiotics, and thus the treatment may fail to cure the child from the infection.2

In KSA, the emergence of high-level resistance to penicillin has made the treatment more complicated.8 Reports of resistance to other antibiotics also have also been emerging from various parts of the Kingdom, including antibiotics such as: erythromycin, clindamycin, tetracycline, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, cephalosporins.9,10 This situation highlights the significance of vaccination in order to control pneumococcal diseases. The current available pneumococcal vaccine provides an easy and effective protection against infections caused by the common 13 types of pneumococcal bacteria.

Can I protect my child just by avoiding people with pneumonia or other types of infections?

Pneumococci are prevalent in our community, and many healthy people carry the bacteria in their nose and throat, even though they are not sick themselves. These people are known as the carriers.11 they may spread the disease to children by sneezing or coughing, putting them at risk of developing serious infections. Your children could also get infected by putting their hands in their mouths, after coming into contact with the bacteria. The disease can also be spread when children touch an infected object such as a cup, toothbrush, toy or book.12

What does ‘PCV-13’ stand for? Are there other types of pneumococcal vaccinations?

‘PCV’ stands for Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine and the ‘13’ stands for 13- most common types of pneumococcal bacteria the vaccine offers protection against
There is another type of vaccine called Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine is available for protection against infections caused by pneumococcal bacteria but it is less effective in young children.13 The PCV-13 vaccine on the other hand offers the broadest coverage against pneumococci in the pediatric age group.2

How effective is PCV-13?

PCV-13 is effective against the 13 most common types of pneumococcal bacteria. It provides 97% protection against pneumococcal diseases in children below 5 years, compared to the other available PCV vaccines such as the PCV-7 which provides 53% protection and the PCV-10 which provides 80% protection.2

Are these vaccines safe? Can my child get pneumococcal disease from the vaccine?

Yes, PCV vaccines are safe and do not cause pneumococcal diseases. The pneumococcal vaccine is like any other vaccine that children receive as part of the National Immunization Program. PCV-13 is an inactivated vaccine, which contains parts of protein from bacteria and cannot cause disease.11

Is there anything that I need to take care of after vaccination?

Some minor reactions may be caused by the vaccination. However, they are negligible, considering the protection that your child receives with this vaccine. The most commonly reported adverse reactions are injection-site reactions, fever, decreased appetite and increased or decreased sleep.5

The following tips will help you identify and minimize mild side effects: use a cool, wet cloth to reduce redness, soreness, and swelling in the place where the shot was given, reduce any fever with a cool sponge bath. If your doctor approves, give pain reliever (paracetamol), give your child lots of fluids. It’s normal for some children to eat less during the 24 hours after getting vaccines.7

My child has already received the PCV doses. Why do I need to give it again?

The first conjugate pneumococcal vaccine (PCV-7), licensed in the year 2000 provides protection against 7 serotypes of pneumococcal bacteria.11 PCV-10 which was licensed a few years later provides protection against 3 additional serotypes. It has been proven that the types of bacteria which were not covered by the earlier pneumococcal vaccines are beginning to increase in Saudi.2 The use of PCV13 in National immunization schedule was started in 2012 and children between 2-5years didn't receive this vaccine, That is why a catchup dose with the PCV-13 vaccine is crucial to prevent pneumococcal disease in our community as it offers the broadest protection against pneumococci in the pediatric age group.

I am expecting a baby soon. When should I give the vaccination dose for the baby?

PCV13 is routinely given to infants as a series of 4 doses, at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, and 12 months.14

How is this vaccine administered?

The vaccine is given by an intramuscular injection. The preferred sites are the anterolateral aspect of the thigh in infants younger than 12 months. In children aged 12 months or older, the preferred sites are either the anterolateral thigh or the deltoid muscle.16

Can this vaccine be given with other vaccines?

Yes, the vaccine can be administered simultaneously with other pediatric vaccines according to the national immunization program. Different injectable vaccines should always be given at different sites.16

Where can I get this vaccine for my child?

This vaccination is brought to you as an essential service by the MoH. The PCV13 vaccine is available for free from your nearest primary health center.

How much does the vaccine cost?

The supplemental dose of pneumococcal vaccine(PCV-13) dose is free, and it’s easily available at primary health centers and clinics near you.

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Government websites use the HTTPS protocol for encryption and security.

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