It is encouraging to see rates of Invasive Pneumococcal Disease (IPD), a disease linked with severe forms of pneumonia and meningitis, decreasing among children under 2, following the reintroduction of the PCV13 vaccine in early 2023, Deputy Director of Public Health, Dr Harriette Carr says.
“New data from ESR shows that in the past year, rates of the most common strain of IPD (serotype 19A) have more than halved among children under 2.
“IPD is a serious disease for all age groups, but it is preventable. Infants and elderly people, in particular, are at a higher risk."
“The PCV13 vaccine is fully funded as part of the childhood immunisation schedule. A pneumococcal vaccine is also free for older children and adults with certain medical conditions that increase their risk of IPD.”
New Zealand has used different IPD vaccines in the past, and in 2023, switched back to the PCV13 vaccine.
“Purchasing vaccines is a complex area. The disease profile of illnesses can change over time, and vaccines which work well at one point in time will not always match the serotypes which become the most prevalent in New Zealand,” Harriette Carr says.
“This data demonstrates the importance of monitoring IPD serotypes to inform vaccination policy and funding decisions. 18 months after the change, we can already see a decrease in case rates which is consistent with the PCV13 vaccine being reintroduced to the childhood immunisation schedule."
“This is promising step in the right direction. Vaccination is a key way of reducing the overall levels of Strep pneumoniae, the bug that causes the disease, circulating in the community. Over time, the falling rates in under-twos is expected to have a positive flow on effect on decreasing IPD cases rates for all age groups."
“The good news is the data demonstrating the effectiveness of the recently changed vaccine. There’s still more work to be done in lifting vaccination rates. We know that vaccination rates in general tend to be lower for Māori and Pacific communities. IPD is a preventable disease, and this data reinforces the importance of getting vaccinated.”
