HOME

ABOUT QVHD

COMMUNITY
- Disease & Conditions
- Report an illness
- Clinics, Screenings,
and Programs
- Fairs, church events,fundraisers and othercommunity food events
- Report a concern
- An Ounce of Prevention

ENVIRONMENTAL

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

MOM'S CLINIC

RESOURCES

Pneumonia Shot Information

Information About the Pneumonia Vaccine For Adults (18 and over)

Unlike flu shots, you can get a pneumonia shot at any time of the year. QVHD will continue to administer pneumonia shots throughout the year during our cholesterol screening clinics. Check back here for dates or call the office. Appointments are necessary.

PLEASE NOTE: At this time, the only insurances accepted for the pneumonia shot are Medicare and Anthem products. All others will have to pay the $40.00 charge or get it from their own health care provider.

The criteria for receiving a pneumonia shot differ from the criteria for getting a flu shot. 

QVHD requires that you obtain from your doctor permission that requests that you receive the pneumonia shot. This permission can be in the form of a note or a prescription or your health care provider can call QVHD (248-4528), fax QVHD (248-6671) or email to dculligan@qvhd.org . There are a few reasons why we require this. One reason is that the current recommendation for pneumonia shots is only one to two shots in a life time. While there are some standards for revaccination, your doctor may wish to follow a different vaccination schedule. (See below.) Secondly, as a community mass immunization clinic, we are unable to know your health history. Following your immunization, we will forward the information about your pneumonia shot to your doctor. In this way, your health record can be updated to ensure continuity of your health care.

Who should get a pneumonia shot?

A flu shot is an annual shot, which means that it is given every year. However, a pneumonia shot is given only once or twice (current recommendation) in an adult's lifetime.

The recommendations for those who should receive a first time pneumonia shot are as follows:

•  Healthy persons 65 years and older

•  Persons age 18 to 64 with sickle cell disease or splenectomy

•  Persons age 18 to 64 with heart, liver or lung disease (not asthma), diabetes, alcoholism, or cerebrospinal fluid leaks.

•  Persons 18 to 64 in special environments or social settings

•  Persons 18 to 64 with HIV, leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkins disease, multiple myeloma, generalized malignancy, chronic renal failure or nephrotic syndrome, receiving immunosuppressive chemotherapy including corticosteroids and organ or bond marrow transplants.*

* NOTE: Vaccination with the pneumonia shot should be given at least two weeks prior to a splenectomy. There should also be at least two weeks prior to initiating cancer chemotherapy or other immunosuppressive therapy. Vaccination during chemotherapy or radiation therapy should be avoided.  

The recommendations for revaccination are a bit more complicated.

•  If you received the pneumonia shot at age 65 or over, you generally do not need to be revaccinated.

•  If you received the pneumonia shot under age 65 and at least 5 years has elapsed, then you can be revaccinated.

However, these are the general recommendations. Depending upon your health status, your doctor may want you to have it sooner than the 5 year interval.

Note: At this time, there are no recommendations for a third vaccination.

Download an Authorization Form (MS-Word) to have your doctor complete.

Download a Registration Form (MS-Word) in advance of the clinic, however, registration forms will be available at the clinics.

Quinnipiack Valley Health District
1151 Hartford Turnpike
North Haven, CT 06473

Phone. (203)248-4528
Fax. (203)248-6671
E-Mail. info@qvhd.org