If patients 19 through 49 years who are in a recommended risk group for pneumococcal vaccination aren’t sure if they have previously been vaccinated with a pneumococcal vaccine, should healthcare providers vaccinate them?

Yes. If patients have an uncertain vaccination history and their records are not readily obtainable, you should administer the recommended doses: PCV20 or PCV21 alone or PCV15 followed by PPSV23 one year later. Extra doses will not cause harm to the patient. Per the CDC’s “General Best Practices for Immunization Guidelines”, self-reported doses of influenza and PPSV23 are acceptable. Therefore, if a patient remembers receiving PPSV23, it is acceptable to provide only one dose of PCV20, PCV21, or PCV15.