From next year, the schedule for the infant pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) will change to a new 1 + 1 schedule.
This will comprise a single dose of PCV13 given at 12 weeks, at the same time as routine DTaP/IPV/Hib/HepB and rotavirus, followed by a PCV13 booster on or after the first birthday.
The new schedule will apply to all babies born on or after 1 January 2020. Babies born up to and including 31 December 2019 will remain on the current 2 + 1 schedule (at 8 and 16 weeks and then a booster on or after the first birthday).
The new 1+1 schedule will actually start from late March 2020, when the first babies to be born in 2020 reach 12 weeks of age.
Further information will be provided in the December issue of Vaccine Update, with resources and materials to be made available in December and January next year.
Vaccine Update 2019;302:20
