As we talked about earlier, there are many germs that can be breathed in through the nose and mouth that can bring on a pneumococcal infection by:

• Coughing and sneezing water droplets, that others will breathe in
• Touching objects/surfaces which will transfer the germs to other people if they touched those objects and surfaces.

There are some steps you can advise your customers to take, to prevent the spread such as:

• Practice good hygiene – wash hands regularly, catch a cough or sneeze into a tissue and not sharing kitchen utensils with others
  
• Quit smoking – as this can increase the risk of developing pneumonia as well as other chest infections. If you provide a stop smoking service in your pharmacy, don’t forget to promote this and of course other benefits of quitting. 
• Keep your immune system strong – explain the importance of exercising regularly, eating a healthy, well balanced diet and getting enough sleep.
• Once bitten twice shy… pneumonia is serious and can be fatal. Advise your customers to GET VACCINATED.