Every year, more than half a million people in the U.S. get pneumonia, and 40,000 die of pneumococcal disease. People with low resistance are especially at risk for these deadly infections, at least half of which can be prevented by a simple, safe vaccine. I urge everyone who is 65 or older or who have certain health problems to get this safe vaccination. Be sure to discuss this with your doctor. TDH is working in partnership with other agencies to ensure the availability and accessibility of the vaccine to the public.
Pneumococcal disease is a serious disease that causes much sickness and death.
In fact, pneumococcal disease kills more people in the United States each year than all other vaccine-preventable disease combined. Anyone can get pneumococcal disease, but some people are at greater risk from the disease. These include people 65 and older, the very young, and people with special health problems such as alcoholism, heart or lung disease, kidney failure, diabetes, HIV infection or certain types of cancer. About 1 out of every 20 people who get pneumococcal pneumonia dies from it, as do about 2 out of 10 people who get bacteremia, and 3 out of 10 who get meningitis. People with the special health problems mentioned above are even more likely to die from the disease.