Pneumonia Can Be Prevented—Vaccines Can Help
Pneumonia, an infection of the lungs, needlessly affects millions of people worldwide each year.
Pneumonia can often be prevented and can usually be treated.
Lower your risk of pneumonia with vaccines and other healthy living practices.
Most of the people affected by pneumonia in the United States are adults. CDC data show more than 47,000 people died from pneumonia in the United States during 2020. Vaccines and appropriate treatment (like antibiotics and antivirals) could prevent many of these deaths.
Lower your risk by getting vaccinated
In the United States, vaccines can help prevent infection by some of the bacteria and viruses that can cause pneumonia. Learn more about who is recommended each of these vaccines:
- COVID-19
- Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)
- Influenza (flu)
- Measles
- Pertussis (whooping cough)
- Pneumococcal
- Varicella (chickenpox)
These vaccines are safe, but side effects can occur. Most side effects are mild and go away on their own within a few days. See the vaccine information statements to learn more about common side effects.
Encourage friends and loved ones to make sure they are up to date with their vaccines.
World Pneumonia Day is observed each year on November 12th. Globally, pneumonia killed more than 740,000 children younger than 5 years old in 2019. This is greater than the number of deaths from any infectious disease, such as HIV infection, malaria, or tuberculosis.
Protect your health with these healthy living practices
Avoid people who are sick. If you are sick, stay away from others as much as possible to keep from getting them sick.
You can also help prevent respiratory infections by:
- Washing your hands regularly
- Cleaning and disinfecting surfaces that are touched a lot
- Coughing or sneezing into a tissue or into your elbow or sleeve
- Limiting contact with cigarette smoke or quitting smoking
- Taking good care of medical conditions (like asthma, diabetes, or heart disease)