Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine 23-valent(Merck Sharp & Dohme)

THURSDAY, Oct. 23, 2025 — You may have seen recent news stories reporting that a national data investigation found that routine childhood vaccination is slipping across much of the United States, leaving classrooms and daycares with growing gaps in protection against highly contagious diseases like measles and whooping cough. That’s a warning sign for every family with children — and an even bigger one for children with asthma , whose lungs are more likely to suffer when infection strikes. Allergists are also immunologists. We are physicians trained to evaluate vaccine reactions and ingredients. As an allergist and executive medical director of the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI) , I often explain to my patients and their parents why vaccines remain one of the best tools to keep vulnerable lungs healthy, what “herd immunity” really means and how to get reliable, allergy-informed guidance. Herd (community) immunity means enough people are immune, through vaccination or prior infection, that a virus struggles to spread, and those who can’t be vaccinated or have weaker immune systems are still protected. Vaccination rates need to stay between about 92% and 95% to stop a virus from spreading. When rates fall below that level, outbreaks become far more likely. Measles is one of the most contagious infections known. But the percentage of U.S. kindergarteners who have had two doses of the Measles Mumps Rubella vaccine (MMR ) fell from about 95% in 2019–20 to 92.7% in 2023–24, leaving hundreds of thousands of children more exposed. The consequences are already apparent: During the 2025 West Texas measles outbreak , 99 people were hospitalized and two school-aged children died from a largely preventable disease. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) emphasizes the importance of following the recommended childhood immunization schedule to close those risk gaps. Vaccines don’t just protect you: They also protect your child’s classmates and your immunocompromised neighbor and help your child with asthma breathe easier. Every vaccine given in the U.S. undergoes rigorous clinical testing and ongoing safety surveillance. Guidance is updated annually to reflect the latest evidence. Keep in mind the following about vaccines for respiratory illnesses: Influenza (flu) vaccine: Everyone 6 months and older should get a flu shot each year. People with asthma are at higher risk of severe flu complications: Flu can trigger asthma attacks, worsen symptoms and lead to pneumonia and hospitalization. Annual vaccination reduces those risks. Pneumococcal vaccines: Pneumococcal disease is especially dangerous for people with chronic lung disease, including asthma. A four-dose series of PCV15 or PCV20 is recommended for children under 5 , and expanded use of PCV20 (or PCV15 + PPSV23) is recommended for adults , including those between 19 and 49 years of age with asthma. MMR: A first dose of the MMR vaccine is recommended between 12 and 15 months of age, and a second dose at least 28 days later. (It is often given between 4 and 6 years of age.) RSV protection : The AAP recommends protecting infants from RSV via maternal vaccination or infant immunization with nirsevimab during their first RSV season , which is typically from September through January. Pregnant women can receive the RSV vaccine (RSVpreF) between 32 and 36 weeks of gestation. This timing helps to pass protection to the infant before birth. The vaccine is recommended for pregnant women who do not have a planned delivery within the next two weeks and have not received the maternal RSV vaccine during the previous RSV season. Pregnant women can receive the RSV vaccine (RSVpreF) between 32 and 36 weeks of gestation. This timing helps to pass protection to the infant before birth. The vaccine is recommended for pregnant women who do not have a planned delivery within the next two weeks and have not received the maternal RSV vaccine during the previous RSV season. Infants under 8 months of age should receive monoclonal antibody immunization (nirsevimab or clesrovimab) during their first RSV season, ideally within the first week of life if born between October and March. This is especially if their mother was not vaccinated against RSV during pregnancy. Infants under 8 months of age should receive monoclonal antibody immunization (nirsevimab or clesrovimab) during their first RSV season, ideally within the first week of life if born between October and March. This is especially if their mother was not vaccinated against RSV during pregnancy. Children aged 8 through 19 months at increased risk for severe RSV disease should receive nirsevimab at the start of their second RSV season. AAP defines high risk as infants with chronic lung disease, those with compromised immune systems and other groups. Nirsevimab can be given at the same time as other routine childhood vaccines. Children aged 8 through 19 months at increased risk for severe RSV disease should receive nirsevimab at the start of their second RSV season. AAP defines high risk as infants with chronic lung disease, those with compromised immune systems and other groups. Nirsevimab can be given at the same time as other routine childhood vaccines. Large-scale research also confirms that vaccines do not cause asthma or allergic disease. A 2021 meta-analysis of more than 5,000 children found no link between routine childhood vaccines and later asthma, eczema or hay fever. If you have a history of hives, wheeze after a prior vaccination or have questions about ingredients (e.g., gelatin, PEG), an allergist can test, choose alternatives, adjust the timing of certain vaccines and vaccinate under supervision when needed. Most people with allergies can be vaccinated safely, with only a small number needing special evaluation. True vaccine allergies are extremely rare . Decades of evidence also show people with egg allergy can receive any age-appropriate flu vaccine without special precautions. Respiratory infections are among the most common triggers of asthma flare-ups. Preventing those infections through flu, pneumococcal and other routine childhood immunizations lowers the chance of an asthma attack, emergency visits and complications. For example, a 2023 study found flu vaccination lowered hospital visits among people with asthma by nearly 60%. When you schedule flu shots for the whole family, discuss your options with your provider first. The live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) is commonly known as the nasal spray vaccine, and it is generally not recommended for people with asthma due to the risk for wheezing. Inactivated vaccines, however, are safer for people with asthma — including those on asthma biologics like dupilumab. Staying up to date on vaccines is part of good asthma control. Evidence you can trust: ACAAI’s patient resources summarize the importance of vaccines for people with allergies and asthma and what the science shows about vaccine safety . Evidence you can trust: ACAAI’s patient resources summarize the importance of vaccines for people with allergies and asthma and what the science shows about vaccine safety . Find an allergist: Use ACAAI’s allergist locator to get personalized guidance on vaccine timing, product choice and managing prior reactions. Find an allergist: Use ACAAI’s allergist locator to get personalized guidance on vaccine timing, product choice and managing prior reactions. Actionable plans: Allergists coordinate with your pediatrician or primary care clinician to keep you on schedule, document any precautions and reduce barriers (for example, scheduling same-day asthma and immunization visits). Actionable plans: Allergists coordinate with your pediatrician or primary care clinician to keep you on schedule, document any precautions and reduce barriers (for example, scheduling same-day asthma and immunization visits). Remember, vaccines are part of everyday asthma control alongside inhalers and management of triggers. When your family, alongside kids at your child’s school, stays up to date on vaccines, it all helps every person with asthma breathe easier. About the expert Dr. Todd Mahr is the executive medical director at the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.

Merck's Capvaxive was designed to protect seniors from pneumococcal disease, but it has also shown a potential to provide protection for children. Approved 15 months ago as a pneumococcal disease vaccine for adults—and billed as the first shot designed for seniors—Merck’s Capvaxive now has data supporting its potential in children and adolescents.In a phase 3 study of 882 participants aged 2 through 17 who have completed a primary pediatric pneumococcal vaccination regimen and have one or more chronic medical conditions that put them at an increased risk of the respiratory disorder, Capvaxive made the grade in three key measures.First, in the primary immunogenicity endpoint, in 12 shared serotypes with Merck’s Pneumovax, Capvaxive’s immune response 30 days after vaccination measured up to the 23-valent polysaccharide pneumococcal shot that has been on the market since 1983. In its nine unique serotypes, Capvaxive showed a superior immune response to Pneumovax.In a secondary immunogenicity endpoint, Capvaxive generated immune responses to all 21 strains it covers. This was determined by measuring serotype-specific opsonophagocytic activity (OPA) geometric mean titers (GMTs) at 30 days after vaccination.Thirdly, in the primary safety endpoint, the proportion of participants with adverse events, including events that were systemic and were serious and vaccine-related, were generally comparable between the two groups.“Children and adolescents living with chronic medical conditions are at increased risk of pneumococcal disease and offering them additional protection is essential,” Rotem Lapidot, M.D., the chief of pediatric infectious diseases at Rambam Health Care Campus in Israel, and an investigator in the Stride-13 trial, said in a release. Lapidot added that children and adolescents may benefit from the additional coverage provided by Capvaxive, which defends against serotypes not included in other pneumococcal disease shots for infants. Results were presented Thursday at the 6th European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) Conference on Vaccines in Lisbon, Portugal.Merck said it will share the data with global regulatory authorities.“While Capvaxive was designed to specifically cover the serotypes that cause the majority of invasive pneumococcal disease cases in adults, findings from Stride-13 underscore its added potential to help protect children and adolescents who are at an increased risk,” Paula Annunziato, who heads up Merck’s infectious diseases and vaccines development, added in a statement. The value of Capvaxive for patients 50 and older is that its 21 serotypes account for 84% of the pneumococcal disease of people in the age group, compared to a 52% figure in the same population for the 20 serotypes covered by the world’s dominant pneumococcal shot, Pfizer’s Prevnar 20, which is allowed in children and adults.Sales of Capvaxive have scaled up from $50 million in the fourth quarter of 2024 to $107 million in the first quarter of this year, followed by a $129 million showing in the second quarter.