Pneumonia Vaccine

More people die from pneumococcal infections (an estimated 40,000 annually in the United States) than from any other VACCINE PREVENTABLE disease.
Pneumonia is not just a lung infection; it can also cause
meningitis (inflammation of the thin coverings of the brain and spinal cord, called meninges) and other serious infections.
The pneumonia vaccine is recommended for all adults 65 years of age and in younger patients with conditions that increase the risk of pneumonia, like asthma, diabetes, HIV, cancer, chronic kidney disease, those receiving chemotherapy (including steroids); and after organ or bone marrow transplantation.
Discuss the pneumonia vaccine in detail with your family member’s doctor.