Pneumonia is a real concern this time of year. And when left untreated it can be deadly. "We're talking about 60,000 people die from pneumonia every year, this is the largest cause of death from any infectious disease aside from what we're seeing right now with the COVID stuff annually. So this is a big, big thing," said pulmonologist Dr. Patrick Mulhall. Temple Health said prevention is critical, especially if you have risk factors. "They may have comorbidities such as COPD, asthma, maybe an uncontrolled diabetic, hypertensive type patient that requires more extensive care," said nurse practitioner Tanya Bronzell- Wynder. "Getting a flu shot, getting a pneumonia vaccine if you're eligible, they're not going to necessarily prevent you from getting it but if you do get it, they're going to make it a heck of a lot easier for your body to treat it," said Dr. Mulhall.