Some people have mild side effects from the shot, but these usually are minor and last only a very short time. In studies, about half of the people getting the vaccine had mild side effects - swelling and soreness at the spot where the shot was given, usually on the arm. The pneumonia shot cannot cause pneumonia because it is not made from the bacteria itself, but from an extract that is not infectious. In fact, people can get the pneumonia vaccine and a flu shot at the same time. There are two main kinds of pneumonia - viral pneumonia and bacterial pneumonia.
Bacterial pneumonia is the most serious.
One kind of bacteria causes pneumococcal pneumonia. In older people, this type of pneumonia is a common cause of hospitalization and death. About 20 to 30 percent of people over age 65 who have pneumococcal pneumonia develop bacteremia. At least 20 percent of those with bacteremia die from it, even though they get antibiotics. People age 65 and older are at high risk.