Why is vaccination with pneumococcal/pneumonia vaccine important?
Any flu infection (including 2009 H1N1 flu) can make people more likely to develop bacterial pneumonia. A bacteria known as pneumococcus is the most common cause of bacterial pneumonia. Pneumococcal infections are a serious complication of seasonal and 2009 H1N1 influenza infections and can cause death. Certain groups are recommended to get pneumococcal/pneumonia vaccine: Children less than 5 years of age and adults over 65, as well as high-risk individuals 2 through 64 years of age, should be vaccinated against serious pneumococcal disease. The vaccine, pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV), is safe and effective. Most people need a single dose of the pneumococcal vaccine in a lifetime (if you’ve already gotten PPSV, you do not need to receive it again). All children less than 5 years of age should receive a different vaccine called pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7); high risk children 2 to 4 years of age need both pneumococcal vaccines. Healthy persons less than 65 years of
