Although the polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccine is ineffective in children less than 2 years of age,¹ the conjugate pneumococcal vaccine, Prevenar, has been shown to be protective.²

In 2002, the Chief Medical Officer advised that children under 2 years of age at risk of invasive pneumococcal disease should receive three doses of Prevenar with their primary immunisations followed by a booster in the second year of life.³ Many of these infants start their immunisations on neonatal units. In our centre, infants complete their primary course, but …