Health Watch is a Public Service of the Office of News and Publications and is intended to provide general information only and should not replace the advice of a medical professional. You should contact your physician if you have questions about any of these topics.
Children need specific vaccinations to go to school, but the need for vaccinations doesn’t end there. This week on Health Watch, we’ll talk about some shots adults may need.
Senior adults are urged every year to be vaccinated against the flu, but that’s not the only shot seniors need to protect themselves against serious illness. Adults over 65 should also be vaccinated for pneumonia. Pneumonia is the leading cause of illness and death among seniors, and bacterial pneumonia is the most serious kind. Fortunately, there is a pneumonia vaccination that protects against 23 kinds of bacteria. Dr. Craig Rubin, chairman of geriatrics at UT Southwestern Medical Center, says the pneumonia vaccine is safe and provides long-term protection against pneumonia. You can get this vaccine at any time of year.
Visit http://www.utsouthwestern.edu/patientcare/medicalservices/geriatrics.html to learn more about UT Southwestern’s clinical service in geriatrics.
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February 2008
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