Just to encourage others to get both the flu and pneumonia vaccinations, my family (parents and two kids) got both shots. Insurance covered the kids’ flu shots, but otherwise, we had to self-pay since we are not in a high-risk group. To save on the fee, we went to a county health department flu clinic. Both the flu shots and the PPV (Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine) shots were $20. each. The PPV protects against 23 bacteria types that cause 80% of pneumonias.
My county health board gave shots to children over the age of 9 years. However pediatricians should have pneumonia vaccine available even for babies. news clip
“Parents are being urged to have their babies inoculated against the pneumococcal bacterium, which kills one in 10 children who fall ill from it. The bacterium causes meningitis, blood poisoning and pneumonia.”
(PPV protects against pneumococcal meningitis)
Flu damages the lungs and bacteria is the secondary punch that can finish off someone who survived the viral part of the illness. $20. seems like a great value for preventive medical coverage. You may run into some doctors who think the shot should be saved for those in the risk categories.
Some of the risks groups are those who have chronic diseases, besides being over 65 years old. Consider the fact, that one of the risk groups are those who have had pneumonia before, regardless of age. Damage from pneumonia can make you susceptible to more pneumonia. It would make sense to prevent getting damage to your lungs, while you are young and have a long future ahead of you. Get both the flu shot and PPV to keep your lungs in healthy shape, prior to facing a pandemic flu. Avoid battles that can scar your lungs. Vaccines do not atrophy your immune system but gives it additional exposure, some safe exercise. Vaccines can prevent the overuse of antibiotics and the resulting resistant strains.
I had to have a doctor’s script to get the PPV which meant getting one from the kids’ pediatrician as well as our adult doctor. It’s an extra hassle but just do what you have to do to get it. Remember that W.H.O. policy encourages more people to get vaccinated to support vaccine production, and they mean people beyond the risk groups. So inform any doctor that thinks you are not suppose to have a vaccine, that you are doing your civic duty to increase vaccine facilities. Little good all the H5N1 vaccine research will do, when there won’t be enough pandemic vaccine production capabilities, for most people to ever get a vaccine in time. Why should a doctor ask why you want a pneumonia shot. Say you think it’s worth $20. not to get pneumonia, thank you! Any age can get pneumonia; children can lose a lot of school time. I know someone who was 30 yrs old and got pneumonia. He was in the hospital for two weeks and died under total medical care. Sometimes ARDS happens. Some of the H5N1 deaths are, of course, viral cytokine storm deaths or viral pneumonia. But if the victim was sick or hospitalized for two weeks before dying, that could be secondary pneumonia consequences. In 1918, both types of deaths occurred as part of the pandemic death rate. Since you aren’t likely to get the H5N1 vaccine, you can at least get the pneumonia vaccine, which has been shown to greatly reduce the (regular) flu mortality rate.
Yes, get BOTH vaccines. I had them last week and had some symptoms from the pneumovax (at least I assume it was from that one as I’ve not had symptoms from the regular flu vaccine before).
Despite a few symptoms, I still say to EVERYONE get the VACCINE! I think my case was not common, and it was not too bad, but just don’t be alarmed if you don’t feel your full self for a day or two. It goes away fast, and I think the reaction is not at all common. (says my doc.) And it sure beats getting pneumonia!
I had them both too, and feel a lot better for having done it. Especially when the flu season got off to an early start with all that mess in NC, I felt a lot safer knowing I had been vaccinated 3 weeks before that outbreak hit the news. My insurance paid for my shots, but I am not in a high risk group.
DW and I were able to get both vaccinations. It took a little effort, but we got them paid for with our insurance.