Get your Pneumonia Vaccine

This article [click here] from the New York Times (11.30.05) provides the rationale for getting your pneumonia vaccine NOW. The vaccine is covered by most insurance and Medicare. Here's a snipet of the article:

Why would an antibacterial vaccine be useful in a viral epidemic? Because patients weakened by the flu often acquire a secondary infection with the pneumococcal bacteria that causes pneumonia. While the flu virus itself can be lethal, all too often it is the bacterial infection that kills.

I got my vaccine this week. One more thing checked off my pandemic preparedness "to do" list.