Y S Teo Family Clinic & Surgery

Newborn babies

2 doses at 3 months and 5 months of age.  Followed by a booster dose between the ages of 12 to 24 months.

Babies less than 12 months old (but who have missed the primary schedule)

2 doses at least 4 weeks apart.  The 3rd (booster) dose at least 8 weeks after the 2nd dose.

Children more than 12 months old to 6 years old

One single dose is needed.  With the exception that children with asplenia, splenic dysfunction or who are immunocompromised should receive 2 doses of the Pneumococcal vaccine with a interval of 8 weeks between the 2 doses.

The Pneumococcal Vaccine for Adults is recommended by the Singapore Ministry Of Health’s Expert Committee on Immunisation (ECI) in May 2003 for the following groups of people:

1.  Adults with chronic conditions such as Diabetes Mellitus, Hypertension, Hypercholesterolaemia, Stroke, Chronic Lung Diseases (Chronic Bronchitis, Emphysema), Heart Diseases, Kidney Failure, chronic liver diseases etc i.e. your elderly parents & relatives.

2.  Adults who have weak immune systems e.g. post-splenectomy (those with their spleens removed), HIV patients, Cancer, Leukaemia etc

3.  Adults staying at long-term care facilities or institutions.

Background information

1.  Pneumococci (aka Streptococcus pneumoniae) can cause non-invasive infections (less serious) such as otitis media, sinusitis and bronchitis, and invasive infections (much more serious) such as pneumonia, meningitis and febrile bacteremia.

2.  The average number of cases of invasive Pneumococcal disease over the period 1995-2004 was 67 per 100,000 among the elderly aged >65 years.  For comparison, the rates were 12.4 per 100,000 for children aged 5-14 years, and 4.5 per 100,000 for teens and adults aged 15-64 years.

3.  The highest case fatality rate was 8.4% occurring in the elderly above 75 years of age.

4.  Treatment of Pneumococcal infections is getting more difficult with increasing resistance of the bacteria to even strong antibiotics.  This means that the old adage, prevention is better than cure is particularly true for Pneumococcal infections.

5.  Don’t wait any longer, get your elderly parents and relatives vaccinated today!

Please call us at 6258 6096 to confirm availability of Adult Pneumococcal Vaccine before coming down to the Clinic.

From the latest media releases, the Pneumococcal Vaccine (i.e. Prevnar) has been made compulsory* for all children in Singapore.  From what I understand, the recommendation from the restructured hospitals, for dosing schedule is 4 doses when baby is 2, 4, 6 & 12 months of age (please refer to the bottom of this entry for the MOH recommended vaccination schedule).

Background information

1.  The Pneumococcal bacteria causes meningitis (infection of the covering of the brain), pneumonia (lung infection), otitis media (middle ear infection), sinusitis (infection of the bony spaces in the face),  septicaemia (generalised blood infection).  Complications of serious Pneumococcal infections are: hospitalisation, hearing loss, mental retardation, or even death.

2.  What are the practical implications of a vaccine being made compulsory?  In Singapore, when a child registers for kindergarten/school, a vaccination certificate is needed.  Thus, if a child has not completed the full course of Pneumococcal vaccinations, he/she will not be able to obtain a vaccination certificate and will thus be unable to register for kindergarten/school.

3.  Media releases thus far indicate that the Pneumococcal vaccinations will not be subsidised by the government.  Parents can make use of funds in their Children Development Account (CDA) or medisave to pay for these vaccinations

4.  Y S Teo Family Clinic & Surgery is an approved institution for Baby Bonus Scheme, as well as Medisave Claims.

* Previously I wrote that the Pneumococcal vaccine has been made compulsory for all children in Singapore.  This is incorrect, what is true is that the Pneumococcal vaccine (a total of 3 doses) has been included into the National Childhood Immunisation Programme.

For newborn babies, the Ministry of Health has recommended for vaccination at 3 and 5 months of age.  The 3rd (which is the last) dose is when baby is between 12 months to 24 months of age.

Now you may ask, how about Pneumococcal Vaccination for Adults?