New Vaccine 'PCV20' Introduced to National Childhood Pneumococcal Immunization Program

KDCA Introduces Protection Against 20 Pneumococcal Serotypes

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency announced on October 1 that it will introduce the new 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV20) to the national childhood pneumococcal immunization program starting this month.

Pneumococcal vaccines have been included in the national immunization program since 2014 to prevent invasive pneumococcal diseases (IPD) such as otitis media, pneumonia, and meningitis caused by pneumococcus in infants and young children.

The number attached to the vaccine indicates the number of pneumococcal serotypes it can prevent. The newly introduced PCV20 can protect against a total of 20 pneumococcal serotypes, adding five serotypes (8, 10A, 11A, 12F, 15B) to the 15 already covered by the existing PCV15.

The eligible population includes infants under 59 months of age and high-risk groups under 18 years old (such as immunocompromised individuals and those with chronic diseases). The standard vaccination schedule consists of three primary doses at 2, 4, and 6 months of age, followed by one booster dose between 12 and 15 months.

Even if vaccination has already started with the existing PCV13, cross-vaccination with the new PCV20 is possible. However, if vaccination was initiated with PCV15, it is recommended to continue with the same vaccine for subsequent doses.

Eligible individuals can receive the vaccination at any designated medical institution found on the Immunization Helper website, regardless of their address, after verifying their identification. After vaccination, recipients should remain at the medical facility for 20 to 30 minutes to monitor for any adverse reactions before returning home.

Im Seungkwan, Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, urged, "We ask parents to actively participate in the immunization program so that children can grow up safely, protected from invasive pneumococcal infections."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.