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New campaign urges SW Idaho seniors to get pneumonia vaccination

About a dozen health care related organizations in southwest Idaho are teaming up to improve pneumonia vaccination rates among seniors.
Credit: Canyon County Paramedics

BOISE, Idaho — Pneumonia is a dangerous illness that can take lives, but many seniors 65 and older are not getting their vaccinations.

About a dozen health care related organizations in southwest Idaho are teaming up to get that message out and improve pneumonia vaccination rates.  

They have partnered on a public awareness campaign that includes radio spots, social media posts and posters in English and Spanish. The posters have sayings on them such as "Pneumonia doesn't care about your busy schedule. Get the shot." and "Pneumonia doesn't care about your upcoming vacation. Get the shot." 

Credit: Canyon County Paramedics

"They're direct and they're also trying to put a personal touch on this so that people can equate this with their own lives and take this personally and know, hey this is something serious I need to do for myself so I can be around for my family, my grandkids," Canyon County Paramedics Deputy Chief Steve Blados said.

Dr. Chad Colvin, an emergency doctor at West Valley Medical Center in Caldwell, says about 50,000 people die every year across the United States from pneumonia. 

"In those individuals that are over 65 pneumonia accounts about number four on the list for death for folks in that age group," Dr. Colvin said. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, less than 67% of adults age 65 and older received their pneumonia vaccination in 2016 in the U.S..

In southwest Idaho, 46% of Medicare beneficiaries have never received a pneumonia vaccination. 

Deputy Chief Blados and Dr. Colvin appeared on Viewpoint on Sunday January 13 to talk about the awareness campaign and how important it is for seniors to get a pneumonia vaccination. You can watch the show here. 

Blados said most insurance plans and Medicare Part B cover pneumonia vaccinations. He advises people who do not have insurance to call Southwest District Health at (208) 455-5300 for information on options. 

You can also use this link to find a location near you where you can get a pneumonia shot.   

 Blados said partners in the public awareness campaign include Canyon County Paramedics, West Valley Medical Center, St. Alphonsus, St. Luke's, Treasure Valley pharmacies and Southwest District Health, among others. 

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