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Useful PREVNAR 20® resources

Invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) can have potentially serious effects in babies. Learn what you can do to help protect your baby.

Conversation Starter Guide

Your baby’s doctor is there to help you, but you know your baby best. The doctor wants to hear your questions and thoughts about IPD, so you can continue to be your baby’s best supporter.

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Create a personalized discussion guide in 3 easy steps

Start the conversation with your baby’s doctor to make the most of your next visit. Follow 3 steps to create a discussion guide with the questions that are most important to you about IPD and vaccinations.
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PREVNAR 20 is a vaccine that helps protect your baby against 20 of the most common strains of pneumococcal bacteria that cause IPD.
When complete, email or download your personalized discussion guide and bring it to your next appointment with your baby’s doctor.
Click “Start” to begin selecting questions most important to you about IPD and PREVNAR 20.
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Questions about invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD)

Choose any or all of the questions below that you might want to ask your baby’s doctor, to help you better understand IPD.

  • What is IPD?
  • How does IPD spread?
  • Is my baby protected against IPD?
  • How can I help protect my baby against IPD?
  • What are the risks if my baby gets the IPD vaccine? What are the risks if my baby does not get the IPD vaccine?
  • When should I start vaccinating my baby against IPD?
  • Do other parents have their babies vaccinated against IPD?

Personalize your Conversation Starter Guide

Questions about PREVNAR 20®

Choose any or all of the questions below that you might want to ask your baby’s doctor, to help you better understand your vaccine options.

  • Are there any side effects I should know about?
  • Would you recommend PREVNAR 20 for your child?
  • How many doses of PREVNAR 20 are needed?
  • Why does my baby need all 4 doses of PREVNAR 20?
  • Can my baby get invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) from PREVNAR 20 itself?
  • Can PREVNAR 20 be given with other vaccines?
  • What is the best age to get my baby vaccinated with PREVNAR 20?
  • When should my baby return for the next dose, and can I schedule that visit today?

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Click here for additional resources from trusted organizations

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are vaccines important?

Thanks to vaccines, widespread diseases, including smallpox, polio, diphtheria, measles, mumps, and rubella, are much less common now. But deadly diseases do still exist. Vaccines are one of the best ways to keep your baby healthy and help protect them from diseases.

Children under 2 years old are at a higher risk for getting certain vaccine-preventable diseases because their immune systems aren’t fully developed. For vaccines to continue to help protect children, children have to be vaccinated. As a caregiver, that’s where you come in.

I’ve never heard of IPD. Should I be concerned?

Although you may not have heard of IPD, it can be potentially serious. The bacteria that cause IPD can spread through cough or direct contact when they are on toys or other objects. In serious cases, IPD can include meningitis, which may lead to brain damage or even death.

Babies and young children in the U.S. are still getting sick with IPD. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has continued to recommend that babies get vaccinated against IPD—as they’ve recommended every year since vaccines for IPD were first available for babies.

Learn more.

How does IPD spread?
The bacteria that cause IPD are most commonly found in children under 5 years old. IPD can spread through the air by cough or by contact with contaminated objects like toys. While anyone can be susceptible, the risk of being infected may be twice as high for children who go to day care.
How can I help protect my baby against IPD?

Vaccination can help protect your baby. While IPD can be potentially serious in babies and young children, PREVNAR 20 can help reduce this risk.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends PREVNAR 20 for children 2-23 months. Learn more.

How will I know if my baby has been vaccinated against IPD?
Take a look at your baby’s vaccination record/card. You’ll see "PCV", "Pneumococcal conjugate", or "Pneumococcal" if your baby has gotten this vaccine. If you can’t tell, or you’re not sure, check with your baby’s doctor to make sure your baby’s shots are up to date. Learn more.
What is PREVNAR 20?
PREVNAR 20 is a vaccine approved for the prevention of invasive disease caused by 20 strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae for individuals 6 weeks and older. It is also approved for the prevention of otitis media (middle ear infection) caused by 7 of the 20 strains for individuals 6 weeks through 5 years. PREVNAR 20 is not 100% effective and will only help protect against the 20 strains included in the vaccine.
Why does my baby need all 4 doses of PREVNAR 20?

PREVNAR 20 should be given as a complete 4-dose series at 2, 4, 6, and 12-15 months old to help protect your baby against IPD caused by the 20 strains covered by the vaccine during your baby's period of greater risk. Skipping or delaying vaccines can put your baby at higher risk.

If you delay a dose, or if your baby receives fewer than 4 doses, your baby's immune system may have a lower response. This leaves your baby with less protection than if they had all 4 doses. Learn more.

It seems like my baby is getting a lot of shots at once. Why so many?
The purpose of the immunization schedule is to help protect children. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend this schedule because it works to help protect babies and children. This schedule is based on when a vaccine will work best to boost your baby’s immune system. Young infants have the capacity to respond to multiple vaccines. Not only will the vaccines not overwhelm your baby’s system, they’ll actually help strengthen it. Each vaccine dose is scheduled for the age that is considered optimal for producing the best immune system response, balanced with the need to provide protection at the earliest possible age.
How can I help my baby feel more comfortable while they’re getting their shots?
Here are some things you can do during your visit. Ask if you can hold your baby on your lap, then gently rub your baby’s back during the vaccination. Distract and comfort your baby by cuddling, singing, or talking softly. Smile and make eye contact to reassure your baby that everything’s okay. Have your baby hold a favorite toy or blanket. And ask if you can expect any side effects following your baby’s vaccination(s) and what you should do if you notice any.
I’m concerned about paying for PREVNAR 20. Is it covered by my baby’s health insurance plan?
Vaccines for your child, such as PREVNAR 20, are considered a preventive care service and may be available at no charge. The Affordable Care Act (ACA)* requires new health insurance plans to cover preventive services without charging a deductible, copayment, or coinsurance when provided by an in-network provider. If you have no insurance, or are eligible for Medicaid, you still have options to receive all 4 doses of the PREVNAR 20 vaccine for free.
What if we do not have insurance or are not eligible for Medicaid? Are there programs that can help?
Yes. The Vaccines for Children (VFC)* program may be able to help. The VFC program is a federally funded program that provides vaccines at no cost to children who might not otherwise be vaccinated because of inability to pay. While there is no charge for the vaccines, there may be other costs such as payment for the visit or other services.
Can my child get IPD from the vaccine itself?
No. PREVNAR 20 is an inactivated (killed) vaccine. This means that PREVNAR 20 will not cause IPD in your baby because it contains only parts of the bacteria’s (pneumococcus) coating.
Can getting too many vaccines weaken a baby’s immune system?
No. According to the CDC, young infants have a capacity to respond to multiple vaccines. Vaccines can help prevent the immune system from being weakened by various types of infections.
What if my child missed a dose of PREVNAR 20?
Check with your baby’s doctor to figure out the best way to catch up.

Additional resources

If you’re looking for trusted sources to learn more about IPD or vaccines, check out the links below.

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the U.S. national public health agency. You can find information on vaccines on their website.

cdc.gov/vaccines*

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Learn about a wide range of topics related to children’s health from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

Healthychildren.org*

*These websites are neither owned nor controlled by Pfizer. Pfizer does not endorse and is not responsible for the content or services of these sites
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