Can pneumonia shots prevent coronavirus?
With a global pandemic caused by the coronavirus, many are wondering if shots to prevent pneumonia will be effective in fighting off COVID-19.
As coronavirus sweeps across the world, with over 179,073 recorded cases to date, many are wondering if shots to prevent pneumonia will be effective in fighting off COVID-19.
CORONAVIRUS LIVE BLOG: FORMER CDC OFFICIAL DR. ROBERT AMLER ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS
The question stems from the knowledge that coronavirus can cause respiratory infections. The symptoms range from mild -- such as runny nose, headache, cough, sore throat, fever and fatigue -- but in more severe cases can cause pneumonia, bronchitis, kidney failure and even death, according to the American Lung Association.
Dr. Robert Amler, formerly a medical epidemiologist and agency chief medical officer at CDC told Fox News on Monday that a pneumonia shot to prevent against this particular respiratory infection will not be effective in staving off pneumonia caused by coronavirus.
Vaccines against pneumonia, such as pneumococcal vaccine and Haemophilus influenza type B (Hib) vaccine, do not protect against coronavirus, which is a newly discovered virus with no vaccine or cure to date, according to the World Health Organization.
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Despite this, Almer says that viral pneumonia, which can be made more severe by a bacterial infection in the lungs, can be combated by the shot, which is why it is still advised to get the necessary vaccinations against respiratory illnesses.