If you are wondering how often do you get pneumonia vaccine, here is the direct answer: it is not a yearly vaccine. For most adults, pneumococcal vaccination is a one time step, or a two step series finished within about a year, and once it is done, no routine repeat is scheduled.
That surprises many people, because the flu shot comes around every fall and the pneumonia vaccine is often offered at the same visit. The two work very differently. Below is the current CDC schedule, explained by age and risk group, so you can see exactly where you fit.
This article is general health information, not medical advice. Your own provider knows your vaccine record and your health history, and that record is what decides your exact next step.
The Short Answer: How Often Is the Pneumonia Vaccine?
For an adult who has never had a pneumococcal vaccine, the CDC recommends vaccination starting at age 50. Most adults complete it in one of two ways:
- One single dose of PCV20 or PCV21, and nothing more is needed.
- One dose of PCV15, followed by one dose of PPSV23 about a year later.
After either path, your pneumococcal vaccination is considered complete. There is no yearly booster and no standing repeat every five or ten years for the general adult schedule. The CDC pneumococcal vaccine recommendations for adults are the reference your pharmacy or clinic will follow.
The exceptions involve people who received older versions of the vaccine years ago, or who have certain medical conditions. Those cases are covered below, and they are about finishing or updating a series, not about getting the shot again and again.
Who Should Get the Pneumonia Vaccine
Pneumococcal disease is caused by a type of bacteria called Streptococcus pneumoniae. It can cause pneumonia in the lungs, and it can also lead to more serious infections of the blood and the lining of the brain and spinal cord. Older adults and people with weakened defenses face the highest risk.
Adults Age 50 and Older
The CDC recommends pneumococcal vaccination for every adult age 50 and older who has not already received a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. This is a recent change. For years the routine age was 65, and the CDC lowered it to 50 in October 2024, because adults in their fifties already carry a meaningful share of serious pneumococcal illness.
So if you turned 50 recently and feel perfectly healthy, you are still due. You do not need a risk condition to qualify at this age.
Adults Ages 19 to 49 With Risk Conditions
Younger adults qualify earlier when certain conditions raise their risk. The CDC list includes chronic heart, lung, or liver disease, diabetes, alcohol use disorder, and cigarette smoking. It also includes conditions that weaken the immune system, a missing or damaged spleen, a cochlear implant, and a leak of the fluid around the brain and spinal cord.
Adults in this group follow the same two options: one dose of PCV20 or PCV21, or PCV15 followed by PPSV23. The spacing can be shorter for some higher risk patients, as explained below.
Children
Children younger than 5 years get pneumococcal vaccine as part of the routine childhood schedule, as a series of four PCV doses in infancy and toddlerhood. Older children with certain risk conditions may need vaccination too, which their pediatrician will flag. This article focuses on adults, but the childhood series is why many younger adults have at least some pneumococcal protection already.
The Two Types of Pneumonia Vaccines, in Plain Words
There are two vaccine families, and the names are easier than they look.
Conjugate Vaccines: PCV15, PCV20, and PCV21
PCV stands for pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. The number tells you how many strains of the bacteria the vaccine covers. PCV15 (brand name Vaxneuvance) covers 15 strains, PCV20 (Prevnar 20) covers 20, and PCV21 (Capvaxive) covers 21 strains chosen with adult illness patterns in mind.
Conjugate vaccines train the immune system in a way that produces strong, lasting memory. That is why a single dose of PCV20 or PCV21 is enough to complete the adult schedule for most people.
Polysaccharide Vaccine: PPSV23
PPSV23 (brand name Pneumovax 23) is the older type, covering 23 strains. It is still used, but in the current schedule it plays one specific role: it is the follow up dose given after PCV15, roughly a year later, to widen the coverage. If your first dose is PCV20 or PCV21, you do not need PPSV23 at all.
How Many Doses, and How Far Apart
The dose count depends on which vaccine you start with:
- Start with PCV20 or PCV21: one dose total. You are done.
- Start with PCV15: two doses total. The PPSV23 dose follows at least one year later for most adults.
- If you have a weakened immune system, a cochlear implant, or a spinal fluid leak, the gap between PCV15 and PPSV23 can be shortened to a minimum of eight weeks, because waiting a full year would leave you underprotected.
What if you had a pneumonia vaccine years ago? Many older adults received PCV13, the earlier conjugate vaccine, or a dose of PPSV23 on its own. Those records change the recommendation. Adults who received PCV13 but no newer vaccine are generally directed to a dose of PCV20 or PCV21 at least a year after the PCV13 dose.
There is one group with a genuine choice. Adults age 65 and older who already received both PCV13 at any age and PPSV23 at or after age 65 can talk with their provider and decide together whether to add PCV20 or PCV21, or to leave the series as complete. This is called shared clinical decision making, and either choice is reasonable.
The practical takeaway is simple. Bring your vaccine record, or ask the office to look it up in the state registry, before you roll up your sleeve. The right answer depends on which products you already had, and guessing can lead to a dose you did not need or a dose you still miss.
Is It a One Time Vaccine or a Yearly One?
It is far closer to a one time vaccine. Once an adult completes the current schedule, no further pneumococcal doses are routinely recommended, and there is no annual pneumonia shot the way there is an annual flu shot.
Two situations can make it look like a repeat. The first is the planned PCV15 and PPSV23 pairing, which is one series in two steps, not two separate vaccinations. The second is an update dose, such as PCV20 given to someone whose only earlier protection was the older PCV13. That is the schedule catching up with better products, not a booster habit.
Recommendations can evolve as disease patterns and vaccine products change, which is why the age dropped from 65 to 50. Checking your status every few years at a routine visit is a sensible habit, even though the vaccine itself is rarely repeated.
Side Effects: What to Expect
Most side effects are mild and short lived. The common ones are soreness, redness, or swelling where the shot went in, along with tiredness, headache, muscle aches, chills, or a low fever. These usually settle within a day or two.
Serious allergic reactions are rare, as with any vaccine. Tell the person giving your shot if you have ever had a severe reaction to a vaccine, and mention any illness you have on the day. A mild cold is usually not a reason to delay, but a moderate or severe illness often is, so it is worth a quick question.
Where to Get It, and What It Costs
You can get pneumococcal vaccine at a doctor’s office, most retail pharmacies, and many community clinics and health departments. Pharmacies can check your eligibility and your record on the spot, which makes it an easy add on to a flu shot visit in the fall.
For adults on Medicare, Part B covers pneumococcal vaccination when you are eligible, and most private insurance plans cover recommended vaccines as preventive care. If you are paying out of pocket, ask for the price before the appointment, since it varies by pharmacy and product.
A good moment to sort this out is a routine check up, where your provider reviews every vaccine you are due for, not just this one. Our guide to what is an annual physical explains how that review fits into the visit, so you can arrive with your questions ready.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the pneumonia vaccine protect against all pneumonia?
No. It protects against pneumococcal disease, which is one important bacterial cause of pneumonia, along with blood and brain infections. Viruses and other bacteria can also cause pneumonia, so the vaccine lowers your risk a great deal without removing it entirely.
I had a pneumonia shot years ago. Do I need another one?
It depends on which vaccine you received and when. If your only dose was the older PCV13, or PPSV23 alone, the current schedule may call for one dose of PCV20 or PCV21. If you already completed PCV20, PCV21, or the PCV15 and PPSV23 pairing, you are done. A pharmacist or provider can check your record and tell you in minutes.
Can I get the pneumonia vaccine at the same visit as my flu shot?
In most cases, yes. Pneumococcal vaccine can be given at the same visit as the flu shot, usually one in each arm. Many people finish both in a single fall appointment, and the provider or pharmacist will confirm there is no reason to separate yours.
How long does the protection last?
Protection is long lasting, and the current schedule treats a completed series as finished, with no booster date on the calendar. Recommendations are reviewed as evidence grows, so the honest answer is that you are covered for the foreseeable future, and your provider will tell you if guidance for your group ever changes.
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