Brazil expands Pneumo 20 pneumococcal vaccine rollout in multiple cities

The 20‑valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (Pneumo 20) has been incorporated into Brazil's public health system (SUS) across several municipalities. In Aracaju, Mariana, Manaus, Recife and the state of Paraná, health authorities began offering the vaccine to priority groups, including children from two months up to almost five years, elderly people aged 60 years or more who are bedridden or institutionalized, Indigenous peoples, and individuals with chronic conditions.

The new schedule follows a transition scheme: a first dose of Pneumo 20 at two months, a second dose of the older 10‑valent vaccine at four months, and a booster of Pneumo 20 at twelve months. In Manaus, 4,000 doses were received from the Ministry of Health and distributed to more than 170 vaccination sites. Paraná started with an initial batch of 29,430 doses, quickly routed to its 22 health regions to cover over 1,800 vaccination rooms. The vaccine protects against 20 serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae, aiming to reduce severe illnesses such as pneumonia, meningitis, sepsis and otitis media.

Officials highlighted the broader protection compared with previous 10‑valent and 23‑valent formulations, noting higher efficacy and longer‑lasting immunity, especially for vulnerable children and elderly patients.