Saturday, February 29, 2020

Reducing the Risk

Another precaution against the coronavirus' impact--assuming exposure is inevitable--is to inoculate oneself against the flu.

How many times, dear reader, do you hear about someone dying, say, of a bacterial infection, a weakened heart, or the flu after he or she is admitted to the hospital for something else? Chances are much improved if you're fighting off one malady, not two.

I headed to the local Costco Pharmacy. The pharmacist said the flu shot was covered by my prescription plan and asked if I would like a pneumonia injection as well. Can I get it today? "Yes."

And so it was that I got the flu shot and Prevnar 13, with a reminder to come back in a year for Pneumovax 23. (The pneumonia protocol is two doses.)

I looked at the chart on the wall and realized the pharmacist was following the CDC vaccination schedule recommendations. It may be standard operating procedure, but I'm glad she inquired about the pneumonia vaccine.

Can I get the shingles shot ("Zoster"), too. "No, that's on backorder." I was pleasantly surprised to get above what I asked for, but it didn't stop me from asking for more.

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