There are several antiviral medicines available. They are used to lessen the symptoms and the length of time a person is ill. The illness must be identified as influenza and treated within forty-eight hours of the onset of symptoms for the medicines to work. The pneumococccal vaccine can lessen the chance of pneumococcal pneumonia, which can occur as a major complication of the flu or without the flu. The pneumococcal vaccine, however, is not a substitute for the flu vaccine.
Pneumococcal vaccine helps to protect someone from strains of bacterial pneumonia.
It is generally recommended for many of the same high-risk people for whom influenza vaccine is recommended. In addition, people over age sixty-five and those with asymptomatic HIV infection should receive the vaccine. Native Americans are also at risk and should receive the vaccine. The pneumococcal vaccine is given every five to seven years. It is safe to receive both the influenza and pneumococcal vaccines at the same time.