Health: Adult Pneumococcal Vaccination Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateLord Walton of Detchant
Main Page: Lord Walton of Detchant (Crossbench - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Lord Walton of Detchant's debates with the Department of Health and Social Care
(9 years ago)
Lords ChamberMy Lords, the principal role for pneumococcal vaccination—the subject of the Question—lies with GPs. Take-up of the PPV for those aged over 65 is 70%; for those aged over 75, it is 80%. For young children, the rate is more than 95%.
My Lords, one of the great advantages of the pneumococcal vaccination programme is that it is widely believed that a single injection gives lifelong protection—or at least substantially lifelong protection—against pneumococcal pneumonia and pneumococcal meningitis. Is the Minister satisfied that that is still sufficient?
My Lords, the noble Lord knows far more about this than I do. I can tell him that the PCV 13 vaccination for young children provides long-term protection and, as importantly, prevents the disease spreading. The PPV—the polysaccharide vaccination provided to older people—does not have the longevity of PCV 13, but it provides wider protection against 23 of the serotypes, rather than 13. It does not provide the length of protection that PCV 13 does, but it still provides some protection.