Pneumococcal Disease Call to Action: Protecting Older Americans from Serious Pneumococcal Disease

This information sheet is the result of a task force organized by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases to prioritize barriers to pneumococcal vaccination among people aged 65 years and older. Through large group discussions and smaller working sessions focused on specific patient populations, the task force identified the three main barriers to pneumococcal vaccine older Americans: lack of attention to pneumococcal prevention among healthcare professionals, competing priorities during patient visits, and lack of public awareness about pneumococcal disease and available prevention. The fact sheet then identifies solutions to those barriers.