Pneumonia Vaccination
What Should You Know About Pneumococcal Disease
You may have heard of pneumonia, which has many different causes. Pneumococcal infection can be one of them that can cause different types of diseases including:
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Pneumonia (noo-moh-nyah): Infection of the lungs
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Meningitis (men-in-ji-tis): Infection of the lining of the brain
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Bacteremia (bak-tuh-ree-mee-uh): Infection of the blood
Pneumococcal disease is caused by common bacteria. Many adults carry these bacteria in their nose and throat. In some cases, they may multiply and travel throughout your body, causing infections that can make you very sick.
Am I at Risk?
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people in the following groups are at increased risk for pneumococcal disease.
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65 years or older
OR
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2 to 64 years of age with any of the following health problems:
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Getting Vaccinated Against Pneumonia
Your Kerr Drug pharmacist is specially trained to provide certain vaccines including the pneumonia vaccine, Pneumovax 23R. Ask your Kerr Drug pharmacist the easiest way to get a prescription from your doctor. Click here to find your local Kerr Drug.
