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06/04/2005
Over-65s to receive anti-pneumonia jab
The Department of Health has unveiled plans to offer over-65s a routine jab to protect against diseases such as pneumonia.
The new vaccination will help protect older people from pneumococcal infection, which can cause diseases such as meningitis and septicaemia, as well as pneumonia.
Older people have a higher risk of contracting pneumoccocal pneumonia, with around two in every one thousand adults aged over 65 admitted to hospital each year. Symptoms include: a high fever; coughing; shaking chills; breathlessness; chest pains; and confusion.
Immunisation with pneumoccocal vaccine has been used successfully in the UK for over a decade to help protect against the disease.
The vaccine was offered to those aged over 80 in 2003/04 and to the over-75s in 2004/05.
Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, said: "We already successfully vaccinate at-risk groups such as those with heart conditions, chronic lung disease and chronic liver disease. We now need to make sure that older people are also protected and that's why we are offering the jab to everybody aged 65 and over."
Patients wishing to receive the vaccination can have it at any time of the year and doctors will be inviting patients to receive their jab from this month.
Most people will only need to have the vaccine once, although a second dose may be required for people suffering from certain medical conditions, such as a damaged spleen or kidney problems.
(KMcA/SP)
The new vaccination will help protect older people from pneumococcal infection, which can cause diseases such as meningitis and septicaemia, as well as pneumonia.
Older people have a higher risk of contracting pneumoccocal pneumonia, with around two in every one thousand adults aged over 65 admitted to hospital each year. Symptoms include: a high fever; coughing; shaking chills; breathlessness; chest pains; and confusion.
Immunisation with pneumoccocal vaccine has been used successfully in the UK for over a decade to help protect against the disease.
The vaccine was offered to those aged over 80 in 2003/04 and to the over-75s in 2004/05.
Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, said: "We already successfully vaccinate at-risk groups such as those with heart conditions, chronic lung disease and chronic liver disease. We now need to make sure that older people are also protected and that's why we are offering the jab to everybody aged 65 and over."
Patients wishing to receive the vaccination can have it at any time of the year and doctors will be inviting patients to receive their jab from this month.
Most people will only need to have the vaccine once, although a second dose may be required for people suffering from certain medical conditions, such as a damaged spleen or kidney problems.
(KMcA/SP)
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