Brazil Starts National Rollout of 20‑Valent Pneumococcal Vaccine

Overview

• The Ministry of Health began offering the 20‑valent pneumococcal vaccine in the public system this week, with more than 570,000 doses distributed since May and a plan to deliver over 6.1 million doses by year end.
• The initial public rollout covers children under five, indigenous people without prior conjugate pneumococcal vaccination, institutionalized or bedridden elderly and people with special clinical conditions served by CRIE centers.
• The PNI recommends a mixed transition schedule that gives the first dose of VPC20 at two months, a second dose of VPC10 at four months and a VPC20 booster at 12 months, with defined intervals and catch‑up rules for incomplete schemes.
• Health authorities say the new vaccine expands protection to 20 serotypes including types 3, 6A and 19A and raises coverage against those strains from about 3% to roughly 77%, a change driven by post‑pandemic increases in invasive pneumococcal disease and meningitis.
• Separately, the Ministry has reinstated a second inactivated polio booster for children at age four that takes effect on August 3 and will be given as an injection to strengthen pre‑school immunity against waning protection and importation risks.