Flu and Pneumonia Vaccinations Q&A

While flu and pneumonia vaccinations cannot prevent such sickness altogether, they can drastically reduce your chances of getting sick with either illness or spreading it to other people. Moreover, even if you do get sick with the flu or pneumonia after receiving the proper vaccinations, you are even less likely to experience serious complications from either illness.

However, there are some individuals who cannot receive the flu and pneumonia vaccinations due to certain health conditions or allergies to ingredients in the vaccines. As such, it is important for individuals who can get vaccinated from the flu and pneumonia to do so as a way of protecting those who cannot.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), adults can safely receive flu vaccines and pneumonia vaccines at the same time. With that being said, medical providers will use different syringes for each vaccine and administer each vaccine at different injection sites.

Most people are good candidates to receive flu and pneumonia vaccinations. However, there are some individuals for whom the vaccines are especially important, as well as those who should not receive the vaccines.

As for the flu vaccine, the CDC encourages any person over six months old to receive an age-appropriate flu vaccine. People who are at high risk of influenza complications should especially receive flu vaccinations, such as those who are pregnant, older adults, young children, and individuals with compromised immune systems. In contrast, individuals younger than six months or those with allergies to flu vaccine ingredients should not receive the vaccine, while those with autoimmune diseases, such as Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), should speak with their doctor before getting the vaccine.

There are two pneumonia vaccinations, which are known as a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) and pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23).

The CDC recommends PCV13 for all children under the age of two and individuals older than two with certain medical conditions or those who have not received it before two years old. Adults over the age of 65 are also advised to speak with their doctors about getting PCV13. PPSV23 is recommended for all adults over the age of 65, individuals between the ages of two and 64 with certain medical conditions, and adults between 19 and 64 who smoke cigarettes. In general, both pneumonia vaccines are not recommended for individuals who are currently sick or allergic to ingredients in the vaccine.

Your primary care clinic or family care clinic in your area should be able to provide you with flu and pneumonia vaccinations. If you are looking for a safe, local place to receive flu and pneumonia vaccinations in or near Joliet, Illinois, you can find that at Internal Medicine and Family Practice clinic!

For more information about flu and pneumonia vaccinations or an appointment with us at Internal Medicine and Family Practice, call us or schedule an appointment! We are located at 1719 Glenwood Ave Joliet, IL 60435. We serve patients from Joliet IL, Manhattan IL, Channahon IL, Bolingbrook IL, Naperville IL, Lockport IL, Romeoville IL, and Plainfield IL.