(Pictured: To help keep them smiling, the national Centers for Disease Control recommends the pneumococcal pneumonia vaccine for all adults 50 or older.)
Pneumococcal pneumonia is a potentially serious bacterial lung disease that can disrupt a person’s life for weeks and even land them in the hospital. Medical experts say there are ways to reduce the risk of serious illness.
An important step is getting a pneumococcal vaccination if it’s recommended for you. This vaccine helps protect against pneumococcal disease, including pneumococcal pneumonia, bloodstream infection (bacteremia), and infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord (meningitis). In October 2024, the national Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention updated its adult immunization schedules and now recommends pneumococcal vaccination for all adults 50 or older, even if they are healthy, and maintains its recommendation of vaccination for adults 19 to 49 with certain underlying medical conditions like asthma, COPD, chronic heart disease, and diabetes.
“The immune system naturally weakens with age, so even if you’re healthy and active, being older puts you at greater risk of severe illness from pneumococcal pneumonia. The CDC’s updated guidelines are intended to keep more people healthy and safe,” said Dr. Albert A. Rizzo, chief medical officer for the American Lung Association.
The American Lung Association maintains an ongoing educational program about pneumococcal pneumonia with Pfizer. The program includes these fast facts:
• Anyone can get pneumococcal pneumonia, and unfortunately, it is a disease you can have more than one time. Certain populations are at higher risk for severe illness, hospitalization, and death. You can use American Lung Association resources to help determine your risk.
• The symptoms of pneumococcal pneumonia include fever, chills, cough, chest pain, difficulty breathing or rapid breathing, and these symptoms can appear suddenly and without warning.
• Having the flu increases the likelihood of developing pneumonia, including pneumococcal pneumonia. Reduce this risk by getting a flu shot every year to help prevent seasonal influenza. In addition, those at risk for pneumococcal disease can get vaccinated against pneumococcal pneumonia. Ask your healthcare provider about pneumococcal vaccinations.
For more information about risk factors, symptoms and prevention, visit lung.org/pneumococcal.
Source: StatePoint Media