October 18, 2011
With Cooler weather around the corner, many citizens are beginning to protect themselves from winter’s illnesses with flu shots. Another important immunization to receive often falls to the way side though, costing hundreds of children and the elderly their lives every year.
That shot is a pneumonia immunization. KVUE News reports that children are urged to receive the shot because it can help ward off deadly bacteria that can cause meningitis, a disease that can lead to blindness, deafness, and death. On the other hand the elderly are encouraged to be immunized because of weaker immune systems.
Until recently, only this demographic was asked to be immunized for their higher risk of health complications associated with pneumonia, but now, researchers are also encouraging those with asthma between the ages of 19 and 65 to also be immunized as they run a higher risk of pneumonia bacteria passing from the lungs to the blood stream.
Researchers have discovered that these immunizations in recent years have lead to fewer ear infections in children and lowered the number of overall infections in adults over the years.
Dr. Bill Howland with the Allergy and Asthma Center of Austin says normally the shot is only needed one time, but a booster shot later in life may be needed.
The Texas Medical Malpractice Attorneys with Daniel Stark Injury Lawyers encourage those individual in these age groups to go get immunized. The decision may keep you healthy through the winter, but more importantly, may save your life.
