How To Know If You Are A Good Candidate For The Pnuemonia Vaccine

If you do not have a family doctor and are thinking of getting a pneumonia vaccine, then a walk-in clinic is the perfect place to get vaccinated. However, you may be wondering if you are a good candidate for this type of vaccine. Here are the most significant factors that make someone a good candidate for this vaccine.

Age

If you are sixty-five or older you should definitely consider getting this vaccine at the nearest walk-in clinic. If possible, try to get the vaccine before the flu season begins. The reason this vaccine is so important for older people is that age weakens the immune system and this makes it more difficult to fight off pneumonia. If you are between the ages of two and sixty-five and suffer from a chronic disease, then you are also a good candidate for the vaccine, since your immune system is constantly compromised.

Diseases

There are certain diseases that weaken the immune system significantly and make it less able to fight off an infection. Diseases such as AIDS, asthma, heart disease, emphysema, and diabetes all weaken the immune system considerably. Consider getting the pneumonia vaccine at the nearest walk-in clinic if you suffer from any of these diseases.

Smoking

If you have been smoking for several years and even if you have quit, you will need to get a pneumonia vaccine. This is because smoking for a prolonged period of time damages the small hairs that are in the lining of the lungs to filter out bacteria and viruses. This means you are very susceptible to the invading bacteria and viruses that cause pneumonia. You should get vaccinated at a walk-in clinic as soon as the flu season starts.

Alcoholism

If you are a heavy drinker, this can weaken your immune system because your white blood cells will not work as well as they should. Alcohol inhibits the function of the white blood cells that fight off diseases. This makes you extremely vulnerable to the viruses that cause pneumonia, and you should try to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

Surgery

If you have just had any form of surgery that required you to breathe through a ventilator, then you need to get the pneumonia vaccine. Even if you did not require a ventilator but are recovering from surgery, you should get the vaccine because your immune system has been weakened.

Getting a pneumonia vaccine at a walk-in clinic is not that difficult, and it will spare you from the medical problems that arise when you develop pneumonia. For more information, talk to a clinic such as West Ocean City Injury & Illness Center.

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