In the past six months Diane and I have gotten a Covid-19 Booster shot, a flu shot, and an RSV shot. Now I’ve just had a Prevnar 20 injection at my local Rite Aid Pharmacy. Diane had her yearly physical last week and her doctor recommended the Prevnar 20 shot even though we both got the two pneumonia shots before the Pandemic.
Prevnar 20 is a vaccine approved for the prevention of invasive disease caused by 20 Streptococcus pneumoniae strains (1, 3, 4, 5, 6A, 6B, 7F, 8, 9V, 10A, 11A, 12F, 14, 15B, 18C, 19A, 19F, 22F, 23F, and 33F) in individuals 6 weeks and older.
Sadly, Diane and I saw a dozen family and friends die of pneumonia in the past few years so we want all the protection we can get. Are you up-to-date on your shots?
I don’t know anyone who has died from pneumonia. I had my shot about 6 years ago for it. Passed on the RSV since medicare wont pay for it. Got my shingles shots and had a bad reaction to both.
Steve, many people who died during the Pandemic were classified as dying from Covid-19–technically true–but the actual cause of death was pneumonia.
Re Steve’s comment, we had our RSV shots and didn’t pay for it, so Medicare must have.
Jeff, our RSV shots were free, too.
I am up-to-date on everything but RSV. I had an appointment scheduled to get it and then CVS cancelled it due to “unforeseen circumstances”. I will try to reschedule for next week. I had pneumonia back in the pre-Covid days (2019), and it was the worst I’ve ever felt, so I strongly recommend anyone who hasn’t gotten the pneumonia shot go ahead and get it!
Deb, you are one of the lucky people who survived pneumonia and recovered their health. Pneumonia can have long-term effects such as depression, and worsening heart and blood vessel diseases.
I got all my vaccines including pneumonia last Nivember. I tried to get the RSV but my insurance wouldn’t cover it and it was over $400. I’m going to check back with United Healthcare this week to see if they have changed their policy about the coverage.
Sorry to hear about the loss of your friends. It’s astonishing to me that people won’t get vaccinated in this day and age. My mom is in her eighties and a Democrat but no longer gets vaccinated because it “knocks her out” and she has “too much to do” which translates to walking through Costco and every over big box store in town for “exercise” which of course puts her right in the bullseye for every bug out there.
When I was a kid in Catholic and then public schools in the late sixties and early seventies we were regularly rounded up for vaccinations and no one batted an eye.
Byron, I remember getting shots in elementary school, too. And, no Permission Slips! We were just sent down to the Nurse’s Office and she gave us the shots.
I have my doubts about Vaccines.
I heard of someone who got those shots and immediately started smuggling in aliens to vote for Hillary
TRUE STORY!
Edmund Hillary, no less.
You know a dozen people who died from pneumonia? Then why wait until now? We got ours a while ago.
Thanks to DeSantis, a lot of Floridians are walking around unvaccinated, and the (non-existent) Covid numbers have shot up.
Jeff, this is the third pneumonia shot Diane and I have gotten. We had two pneumonia shots before the Pandemic and now this new Prevnar 20 shot. Western NY has rising rates of Covid-19, flu, and RSV, too. I don’t understand people who don’t get their vaccines!
Haven’t had the pneumonia or RSV shots. My annual wellness check-up is soon; I’ll ask the doc if she thinks they’re necessary for my wife and me. Up to date on the covid-booster, flu, DTP, and shingles. As with you and Byron, vaccines were routinely given when I was a kid, and parents thanked god for them. An NBC poll yesterday reported that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had 34 percent approval among those polled; as usual, no context as to who was polled. I can’t believe the weird and uncharismatic RFKJ has that level of support. But again, it’s disheartening to view the slough of proud and willful stupidity out there.
Fred, there are a lot of anti-vaxers out there. Kennedy is their hero right now.
Fred, your skepticism of the polls is utterly founded. Of course, approval is less misleading than I will vote for him in November.
Though, indeed, what’s to approve among latter-day RFK2, vs. his earlier work for environmental causes, I’m not sure. Since NJ will vote Biden and we have an EC, I was considering voting for West, but given everything, I might just vote for the ex-senator who was floating an anti-flag-burning amendment to the US constitution when I handed him a flier critiquing that and his other less-enlightened positions ans actions on George Mason University campus in 1989. And this even before his disgraceful performance at the Clarence Thomas hearings. His presidential performance has, on balance, been better.
Todd, I’m interested in the Supreme Court hearing on Thursday about whether Colorado can ban Trump from the primary ballot. We may get some clarification of the 14th Amendment from this case.
As well as how much the Mein Drumpf appointees are going to fall in lockstep with their Fearless Whiner.
Todd, a federal appeals court today said that Donald Trump is not immune from prosecution for alleged crimes he committed during his presidency, flatly rejecting Trump’s arguments that he shouldn’t have to go on trial on federal election subversion charges. I suspect the Supreme Court will refuse to hear Trump’s appeal.
Huzzah. eh? He can dictate his own MEIN DRUMPF while in jail, and with not an unlikely amount of luck (good luck for the rest of us) never be a personal threat to the world again. But, clearly, there’s no lack of people too willing to slavishly follow him. And other Father Coughlins, unrepentant George Wallaces, and the like to come.
And, Mayorkas is unimpeached. Hope Johnson is out the door (and eventually in the dock) sooner rather than later.
Todd, the whole Border Security fiasco shows how powerful Trump is in the GOP. Some Republican Senators worked on that Immigration bill for four months only to have it killed by Trump in 24 hours.
Ain’t dead yet, any more than Mayorkas’s impeachment, thanks to Mike Johnson now hoping to bully the GOP dissidents.
Byron, United Health Care covered my RSV shot.
I believe I’m up to date on everything (sort of; my second shingles shot is due next month), unless there are shots for beri-beri, ague, or catarrh they haven’t told me about.
About thirty years ago, Kitty and I both came down with pneumonia at the same time. It knocked us flat and left both of as weak as kittens. Kitty was pissed at me because I was (very marginally) sicker than she was (one of her symptoms was that she felt it was a contest). I don’t wish how we felt on anyone else. We were lucky and both recovered with no lasting after-effects.
Jerry, I’ve never had pneumonia but I’ve seen many people who have. Some–like you and Kitty–survived, others didn’t make it. Pneumonia is the #8 cause of death in the U.S.:eading
Causes of Death
Heart disease: 695,547.
Cancer: 605,213.
COVID-19: 416,893.
Accidents (unintentional injuries): 224,935.
Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases): 162,890.
Pneumonia: 142,342.
Alzheimer’s disease: 119,399.
Diabetes: 103,294.
Gee, and I’ve only had two+ of those (including a few dangerous accidents/falls) that I’m aware of…come to think of it, had some pneumonia in my youth. Though Alz and its cousins is what worries me most.