Generic name: Pneumococcal 20-valent conjugate vaccine [ NOO-moe-KOK-al-VAY-lent-KON-joo-gate-VAX-een ]
Dosage form: intramuscular injection
Drug class: Bacterial vaccines

Medically reviewed by Melisa Puckey, BPharm. Last updated on Mar 26, 2025.

What is Prevnar 20?

Prevnar 20 is a vaccine used to prevent pneumococcal disease, a serious bacterial infection of the lungs (pneumonia), blood (bacteremia), brain (meningitis), ear infections, and sinus infections caused by pneumococcal bacteria. The Prevnar 20 vaccine protects against 20 types of Streptococcus pneumonia bacteria. 

Prevnar vaccine is given as an injection into a muscle (intramuscular injection); adults have a single dose, and babies and children have a series of 4 shots.

Prevnar 20 works by exposing you to a small part of the bacteria, which helps your body develop immunity to bacteria. However, it will not treat an active infection that you already have.

Prevnar vaccine, like all vaccines, may not provide protection from disease in every person.

Who can have the Prevnar 20 vaccination?

Prevnar 20 is an FDA-approved vaccine used to prevent:

• invasive disease in individuals 6 weeks of age and older caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes 1, 3, 4, 5, 6A, 6B, 7F, 8, 9V, 10A, 11A, 12F, 14, 15B, 18C, 19A, 19F, 22F, 23F, and 33F.
• pneumonia (lung infections) in individuals 18 years of age and older caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes 1, 3, 4, 5, 6A, 6B, 7F, 8, 9V, 10A, 11A, 12F, 14, 15B, 18C, 19A, 19F, 22F, 23F, and 33F.
• otitis media (ear infections) in individuals 6 weeks through 5 years of age caused by S. pneumoniae serotypes 4, 6B, 9V, 14, 18C, 19F, and 23F.

Prevnar 20 Vs Prevnar 13

Prevnar 20 vaccinates against more serotypes of S. pneumoniae than Prevnar 13, and they each have different FDA-approved indications.

Prevnar 20 vaccinates against 20 serotypes of S. pneumoniae 1, 3, 4, 5, 6A, 6B, 7F, 8, 9V, 10A, 11A, 12F, 14, 15B, 18C, 19A, 19F, 22F, 23F, and 33F 

Prevnar 13 vaccinated against 13 serotypes of S. pneumoniae 1, 3, 4, 5, 6A, 6B, 7F, 9V, 14, 18C, 19A, 19F and 23F.

Prevnar 20 Side Effects

Common Prevnar 20 side effects in babies and children

Patients 2, 4, 6, and 12 through 15 months of age. The most common Prevnar 20 side effects were irritability (>60%), injection site pain (>30%), drowsiness (>30%), decreased appetite and injection site redness (>20%), injection site swelling (>10%), and fever (>10%). These are the side effects that occurred in more than 10% of patients when vaccinated with a 4-dose schedule.

Patients 15 months through 17 years of age. The most common Prevnar 20 side effects >10% were irritability (>60% in patients less than 2 years of age), injection site pain (>50%), drowsiness (>40% in patients less than 2 years of age), tiredness and muscle pain (>20% in patients 2 years of age and older), decreased appetite (>20% in patients less than 2 years of age), injection site swelling and injection site redness (>10%) and headache (>10% in patients 5 years of age and older), and fever (>10% in individuals less than 2 years of age). These are the side effects that occurred in more than 10% of patients when vaccinated with a single dose.

Common Prevnar side effects in adults

In individuals 18 through 59 years of age. The most common Prevnar 20 side effects were injection site pain (>70%), muscle pain (>50%), tiredness (>40%), headache (>30%), and joint pain and injection site swelling (>10%).  These are the side effects that occurred in more than 10% of patients.

In individuals 60 years of age and older, the most common Prevnar 20 side effects were injection site pain (>50%), muscle pain and tiredness (>30%), headache (>20%), and joint pain (>10%). These side effects occurred in more than 10% of patients.

Serious Prevnar 20 Side Effects

Prevnar 20 may cause serious side effects. Call your doctor at once if you have:

• severe stomach pain, severe vomiting or diarrhea;
• wheezing, trouble breathing;
• high fever (102 degrees F or higher);
• seizure (convulsions); or
• severe pain, itching, irritation, or skin changes where the shot was given.

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction to Prevnar 20 including hives, difficulty breathing, swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

You should not receive a booster vaccine if you have a life-threatening allergic reaction after the first shot.

This is not a complete list of side effects, and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report vaccine side effects to the US Department of Health and Human Services at 1-800-822-7967.

Related/similar drugs

Warnings

Apnea following vaccination has been observed in some infants born prematurely. Decisions about when to administer Prevnar 20, to infants born prematurely should be based on consideration of the individual infant’s medical status, and the potential benefits and possible risks of vaccination. 

You should not receive a booster vaccine if you had a life-threatening allergic reaction after the first shot.

Before taking this medicine

You should not receive Prevnar 20 if you ever had a severe allergic reaction to a pneumococcal or diphtheria toxoid vaccine.

Tell the vaccination provider if you or the child has:

• a bleeding or blood clotting disorder such as hemophilia or easy bruising; or
• a weak immune system (caused by disease or by using certain medicines).

Before your child receives Prevnar 20, tell your doctor if the child was born prematurely.

You can still receive a vaccine if you have a minor cold. However, if you have a more severe illness with a fever or any type of infection, wait until you get better before receiving Prevnar 20.

Tell the vaccination provider if you are pregnant, trying to become pregnant or breastfeeding.

How is Prevnar 20 given?

Prevnar 20 is given as an injection (shot) into a muscle by your healthcare provider.

Prevnar 20 is a four-dose series of shots for infants and toddlers. The dose is given at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, and 12 through 15 months of age. 

Adult Prevnar 20 dose is a single dose for the age of 18 years and older.

Be sure to keep your child on a regular schedule for other immunizations such as diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), hepatitis, and varicella (chicken pox). Your doctor or state health department can provide you with a recommended immunization schedule.

Prevnar 20 Dosing Information

Prevnar 20 is a 0.5 mL suspension for intramuscular injection, supplied in a single-dose pre-filled syringe.

Infants and Children: Prevnar 20 as 4-dose immunization series at 2, 4, 6, and 12 through 15 months of age

Adults (18 years of age and older): Prevnar 20 as a single dose.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Contact your vaccination provider if you miss a booster dose or if you get behind schedule. The next dose should be given as soon as possible. There is no need to start over.

Be sure your children receive all recommended doses of Prevnar 20 or you or your child may not be fully protected against disease.

What happens if I overdose?

An overdose of Prevnar 20 is unlikely to occur.

What should I avoid before or after receiving Prevnar 20?

Follow your doctor's instructions about any restrictions on food, beverages, or activity.

What other drugs will affect Prevnar 20?

Before receiving Prevnar 20, tell your vaccination provider about all other vaccines you have recently received.

Also, tell the vaccination provider if you have recently received drugs or treatments that can weaken the immune system, including:

• an oral, nasal, inhaled, or injectable steroid medicine;
• chemotherapy or radiation;
• medications to treat psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, or other autoimmune disorders; or
• medicines to treat or prevent organ transplant rejection.

This list is not complete. Other drugs may interact with Prevnar 20, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible drug interactions are listed here.

Storage

After shipping 

• Prevnar 20 may arrive at temperatures between 2 ºC to 25 ºC (36 ºF to 77 ºF). 

Upon receipt 

• store refrigerated at 2 ºC to 8 ºC (36 ºF to 46 ºF). 
• Syringes should be stored in the refrigerator horizontally to minimize the resuspension time. 
• Do not freeze. Discard if the vaccine has been frozen. 
• Prevnar 20 should be administered as soon as possible after being removed from refrigeration. 

Prevnar 20 can be administered provided total (cumulative multiple excursions) time out of refrigeration (at temperatures between 8 °C and 25 °C) does not exceed 96 hours. Cumulative multiple excursions between 0 °C and 2 °C are also permitted as long as the total time between 0 °C and 2 °C does not exceed 72 hours. These are not, however, recommendations for storage.

Ingredients

Each 0.5 mL dose of the vaccine is formulated to contain approximately 2.2 μg of each of S. pneumoniae serotypes 1, 3, 4, 5, 6A, 7F, 8, 9V, 10A, 11A, 12F, 14, 15B, 18C, 19A, 19F, 22F, 23F, 33F saccharides, 4.4 μg of 6B saccharides, 51 μg CRM197 carrier protein, 100 μg polysorbate 80, 295 μg succinate buffer, 4.4 mg sodium chloride, and 125 μg aluminum as aluminum phosphate adjuvant.

Company

Wyeth Pharmaceuticals LLC, A subsidiary of Pfizer Inc., Philadelphia, PA 19101.

Frequently asked questions

• Prevnar 20 vs Pneumovax 23: Which vaccine is right for you?
• How long does a pneumonia vaccine shot last?

Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Medical Disclaimer