By: Kathy Hubbard
Every Breath Counts Coalition is a network of agencies, organizations, academic institutions and participating governments that are dedicated to preventing hundreds of thousands of pneumonia deaths each year. And since 2009, they have designated November 12th as World Pneumonia Day.
“Identifying the most vulnerable adults and children and ensuring that they receive proven, high-impact interventions at every level of the health system is the most effective strategy to close the critical gaps in pneumonia prevention, diagnosis, and treatment and save lives,” their website, www.stoppneumonia.org says.
The American Lung Association says that November 12 is an annual reminder that pneumonia can strike anywhere, anytime, at any age, and that it’s a serious, potentially life-threatening infection.
“Pneumonia is primarily caused by viruses, bacteria or fungi that are transmitted from one person to another. The most common type of bacterial pneumonia is pneumococcal pneumonia. If you are 65 or older, your risk of being hospitalized after getting pneumococcal pneumonia is 13 times greater than younger adults aged 18 to 49, and for those requiring hospitalization, an average hospital stay of six days.”
The risk actually increases for those over fifty, and children under five. ALA says that “the younger the child, the higher the risk. Their immune systems aren’t fully developed, and they may not have developed immunity due to prior infection.”
Others with a higher risk are those with chronic conditions such as lung, heart, kidney, or liver disease and diabetes; those with weakened immune systems; and those who smoke cigarettes.
The CDC’s Center for Health Statistics says that in the United States in 2022 (the most recent statistical year) 1.2 million people went to emergency departments with pneumonia due to infectious organism as the primary diagnosis. And in a 2024 report, 41,627 people died.
Worldwide, pneumonia is the number one infectious disease killer of children under five. But you can compare the 300 deaths in the U.S. to the 174,000 deaths in India and we can be thankful for our healthcare system. They say that proven solutions to the disparity are “exclusive breastfeeding for baby’s first six months; vaccination; safe drinking water and good sanitation; frequent hand washing with soap; good nutrition, especially for kids aged six months to two years, and adequate indoor ventilation.”
ALA says, “Most people who contract pneumonia may experience a cough, feeling tired, fever or chills, chest pain when coughing or breathing and shortness of breath. However, if the infection is more severe the individual may also experience nausea and vomiting, confusion, or a fever. If you begin to experience these symptoms or are in a high-risk group, you should seek medical attention right away.”
Although you can get pneumonia at anytime of the year, more cases are seen during the fall and winter. The ALA supposes this is because it’s a common time for the spread of germs that cause infectious respiratory disease. It’s not uncommon for people who experience the flu to develop pneumonia.
They go on to say that “most bacterial pneumonia can be treated with antibiotics. This includes pneumococcal disease or mycoplasma pneumoniae. When prescribing treatment your healthcare provider will look at your age, health history, type of infection, past interactions with antibiotics and what antibiotics work against the bacteria you have to determine the best option(s) for you.”
I assume we all know that antibiotics cannot treat viral infections. If the pneumonia is caused by a viral infection it will most likely go away on its own. ALA says, “Most people can manage their symptoms at home by following simple steps and advice from their healthcare provider.
“Typically drinking plenty of fluids to stay hydrated, getting a lot of rest and taking over the counter medication will help you on your way to feeling better. If you have COVID-19 or flu, your healthcare provider may prescribe an antiviral to reduce your symptoms, length of symptoms and likelihood of complications.”
And finally, I’m going to suggest you talk to your healthcare provider about the pneumococcal pneumonia vaccine. If you fall into any of the high risk categories I mentioned, you might benefit from a vaccination. But don’t take my advice, talk to your primary care provider. We may not be able to stop pneumonia globally, but we can protect ourselves and our families.
Kathy Hubbard was a charter member of Bonner General Health Foundation. She can be reached at [email protected]. This article was written for publication in the Bonner County Daily Bee on November 9, 2026.