After high risk individuals are covered, special efforts will be made to vaccinate persons aged 50 to 64 who are not included in the high risk group. Vaccination for healthy adults may occur in December as vaccine is available. The state health department's flu surveillance system has reported sporadic flu-like illness in the state, however, none of the cultures sent by physicians to the health department laboratory have been confirmed as influenza. Health officials continue to recommend pneumococcal vaccine for persons who are 65 years of age or older, or persons who have heart or lung problems or diabetes. This vaccine protects against pneumococcal pneumonia, the most common type of pneumonia resulting in hospitalizations.
Pneumococcal vaccine is available at physicians' offices and county health departments.