Is the pneumococcal vaccine, either kind, effective for frequent strep throats? can it cause die-off reactions from the strep bacteria?

Not effective.: This vaccine does not prevent strep throat. You can still get it and you need antibiotics if you do, to avoid the risk of getting rheumaticfever and/or heart disease.

Wrong strains: The Pneumococcal vaccines include material that help your body develop antibodies to strains that commonly cause pneumonia, blood poisoning & a few other conditions. It does nothing that would build any antibodies to Group A strep. Efforts to develop a working vaccine fro strep throat in the past have not been successful.