All adults aged 50 and older should receive a vaccine against bacteria that can cause pneumonia and meningitis, federal health officials said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday adopted a recommendation from its scientific advisory panel to lower the age for pneumococcal vaccination from 65 to 50 years old.
Advocacy groups, including the National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs and the National Caucus and Center on Black Aging, said the new guidelines could help address health disparities, including immunocompromised adults and minority populations who are more likely to have chronic conditions that put them at risk.
Lowering the age for the shot gives more adults the opportunity to protect themselves from pneumococcal disease at the age when risk of infection substantially increases, the agency said. Adults only need to get the vaccine once.
The CDC recommends pneumococcal vaccination for children younger than 5 years and adults 65 years or older. It also recommends pneumococcal vaccination for children and adults at increased risk for pneumococcal disease, like those with diabetes, chronic liver disease or a weakened immune system.
Pneumococcal bacteria can cause serious illnesses, including pneumonia, meningitis, and bloodstream infections, and older adults are at increased risk for pneumococcal disease.
“Now is a great time to get vaccinated against pneumococcal disease in preparation for the winter respiratory season,” CDC director Mandy Cohen said in a statement.
The advisory committee voted 14-1 to make the change during a meeting earlier Wednesday.
Pneumococcal pneumonia kills about 1 in 20 older adults infected with the bacteria, according to the CDC. There are four vaccines now in use to protect against pneumococcal disease, from Pfizer and Merck.