Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs), targeting the most prevalent serotypes, have been the most effective and cost-effective way to prevent pneumococcal diseases caused by vaccine serotypes.
Given the excellent indirect protection (also known as herd protection or population protection) offered by the childhood PCV13 programme resulting in a very low incidence of PCV13-type Invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) caused across all age groups, and PCVs being the most expensive vaccines in infant schedules, in October 2017, the United Kingdom Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization (JCVI) recommended removal of one primary dose of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) from the existing 2+1 schedule (2, 4, 12 months), using a 1+1 (3, 12 month) schedule. The UK implemented a reduced 1+1 PCV13 immunization schedule at 12 weeks and 1 year of age for infants born on or after Jan 1, 2020.
Latest study showed that breakthrough and vaccine failure rates were not significantly different between children who received the 1 +1 compared with the 2 +1 PCV13 immunization schedule. However, IPD incidence in 2022–23 compared with 2019–20 was 34% higher in children (aged <15 years) and 17% lower in adults. The UK will closely monitor the post-pandemic increase in childhood IPD incidence and especially PCV13-type IPD.
Recommended resources:
1) Invasive pneumococcal disease 3 years after introduction of a reduced 1 + 1 infant 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine immunization schedule in England: a prospective national observational surveillance study
DOI: 10.1016/S1473-3099(23)00706-5
2) Summary of evidence to reduce the two-dose infant priming schedule to a single dose of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in the national immunization programme in the UK.
DOI: 10.1016/S1473-3099(20)30492-8
3) Immunogenicity and boosting after a reduced number of doses of a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in infants and toddlers.
DOI: 10.1097/01.inf.0000214921.52562.e5
