Trend analysis shows increasing numbers of excess mortalities in all ages and a steep rise in a decay of people's health and workability, especially women. Pandemic measures, repeated vaccinations and a rising number of people including children and pregnant women suffering from hunger have weakened people's immune systems.

Impaired immune system conditions due to a disrupted gut microbiota and increased exposure to oxidative stress can stimulate S. pneumoniae to switch from a commensal bacterium to an opportunistic and harmful micro-organism that may result in pneumonia, myocarditis, cancer, neurodegenerative disease, and even sudden death.

To turn around the ongoing negative trend in health and life expectancy any forced 'one-size-fits-all interventions' that may cause a collapse of a weakened immune system need to be halted. Without any positive change in current public health policies, millions more adults and children will die from pneumonia and invasive pneumococcal disease in the next decades. No other infection can cause this number of deaths.

Instead, a safe, affordable, and effective intervention by a population-wide vitamin D supplementation, a known effective antioxidant and immunomodulator that can prevent dangerous pneumococcal infections is urgently needed.

In general, public health authorities and governments could better invest in and choose interventions that prevent malnutrition and extreme poverty. Strengthening the population's immune system will decrease the demand for healthcare and contribute to a healthy world for all.