By Norman Edelman, M.D. and Gregg Sylvester, M.D.

August is National Immunization Awareness Month. While children are typically the targets of such preventative public health awareness campaigns, adults need a friendly reminder that vaccines aren’t just for kids. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends vaccination for all adults, and currently, a significant number of adults are not following this advice.

Aging has a detrimental impact on the immune system, weakening our natural armor and leaving us more prone to illness.  It is always advisable for anyone 65 years and older to speak to their health care provider about which vaccines are appropriate for them. Those with certain chronic conditions, including heart and lung disease, may be at an increased risk for serious illnesses that are potentially preventable with vaccines, such as influenza and pneumococcal pneumonia, diseases which affect the lungs.

Contracting influenza or pneumococcal pneumonia can have serious, even deadly, consequences for all adults, but particularly for those with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and for those who smoke.

Combined, influenza and pneumonia, including pneumococcal pneumonia, were the ninth leading causes of death in the United States in 2010, according to the CDC. It is also estimated by the CDC that 900,000 Americans contract pneumococcal pneumonia annually, with as many as 400,000 hospitalizations.

What is often largely unknown about pneumococcal pneumonia is that someone without symptoms can transmit this bacterium, which can be spread by coughing or sneezing.

Common symptoms of pneumococcal pneumonia include fever, chills, productive (mucus) cough that persists or gets worse, difficulty in breathing and chest pain.

Vaccination is a way to help prevent influenza and pneumococcal pneumonia. In addition to vaccination, maintaining good hygiene—including regular hand washing—is also important.

Now is a great time to ask your health care provider to review your immunization records. Patients often assume their health care provider will remind them of their vaccination needs, but that’s not always the case.

The key to staying current on essential vaccinations is to report all vaccinations to your primary care provider, and to ask questions about which vaccinations you might need. The CDC’s website, www.cdc.gov, also provides helpful guidance.

If you or someone you care about is 65 years or older, talking to your health care provider about getting vaccinated is an important step you can take.  

The American Lung Association and Pfizer are working together to raise adult awareness of recommended vaccinations.