Pneumonia Cases Are High. How to Protect Yourself and Your Child
By Sam Jones
Pneumonia infects millions of people every year. Cases of this highly contagious lung infection surged across all age groups in 2024, but young children were hit particularly hard. Infection rates in children 2 to 4 years old increased from 1.0% to 7.2% between March and October of last year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Pneumonia can start from more than 300 different kinds of bacteria, viruses, and fungi, but a specific bacteria called Mycoplasma pneumoniae was responsible for much of last year’s surge. This bacteria has not historically been a leading cause of pneumonia in young children, the rise of which could be due to a drop in vaccination rates and less-exposed immune systems since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jeffrey Griffiths, a professor in the Department of Public Health and Community Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine, explains the different kinds of pneumonia, how to treat it, and, most importantly, how to prevent infection in the first place.
The Many Causes of Pneumonia
M. pneumoniae is one of the most common bacterial causes of what is often referred to as “walking pneumonia,” a milder form of the disease. Walking pneumonia symptoms are typically not severe enough to keep people laid up at home, so they may be walking around with the disease, hence the name.
The most common cause of more severe cases of pneumonia around the world is a bacteria called Streptococcus pneumoniae, a type of strep. The most vulnerable populations include the very young and very old, anyone who is malnourished, and those who are immunocompromised.
There are several other less common bacterial causes of pneumonia. Bacterial pneumonia often develops after a milder viral lung infection, such as those caused by common viruses we are all too familiar with.
“We have had an immense surge of influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and COVID-19 going on in the U.S.,” Griffiths says. “Each of these has its own season. COVID-19 peaked in the Boston area this winter in January 2025, while influenza really ramped up in December 2024 and is still at very high levels nationally.”
“We have had an immense surge of influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and COVID-19 going on in the U.S. Influenza ramped up in December and is still at very high levels nationally.”
Jeffrey Griffiths, a professor in the Department of Public Health and Community Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine
Mask Up and Wash Your Hands
All of these viruses, and more, can cause pneumonia on their own and open the door for bacteria to set up a second infection. Following common-sense guidelines for preventing these illnesses is the most effective way to reduce the risk of getting a lung infection on top of it.
Pneumonia can be very contagious. Every cough presents an opportunity for someone nearby to breathe it in or touch an infected surface. Without taking precautions, we can transport pneumonia into our own lungs.
Griffiths recommends wearing a mask, at least in crowded indoor spaces such as airports, and washing our hands more often and more thoroughly. These two measures can prevent spreading or getting infected with the organisms that cause pneumonia. He also emphasizes that these behaviors are more important during the cold winter months when we spend more time inside.
Notice the Signs: Green and Yellow Phlegm
Because pneumonia causes inflammation and fluid buildup in the lungs, it compromises our ability to get oxygen from the air and through our bloodstream to support the rest of our body’s functions.
“It's low oxygen that gets you in trouble,” Griffiths says.
Unlike a head cold, pneumonia comes with a lot of coughing. Adults with pneumonia usually have a fever, cough up green and yellow phlegm, and become winded much easier, even from simple movements like walking or going up stairs. Coughing excessively can lead to its own issues. When we breathe, the lining on the outside of our lungs rubs against the lining on the inside of our ribs. Coughing with already inflamed lungs further irritates that movement and can be painful or even strain an intercostal muscle.
But pneumonia presents differently in children. Griffiths says that while adult symptoms are more clearly lung-related, children may only show fast breathing rates with other symptoms like stomach aches, a refusal to drink fluids, or vomiting. Young children also tend to swallow phlegm unlike adults who spit it out.
If prevention measures fail and symptoms arise, it’s important to seek medical treatment as early as possible.
For self-monitoring with a pulse oximeter, oxygen levels should be 94% or higher. Smokers or others with compromised lungs might have slightly lower oxygen levels around 92%.
Antibiotics, Vaccines, and At-home Oxygen Monitors
The treatment options for pneumonia vary based on its source. Bacterial pneumonia can often be treated with antibiotics, but overuse of these medications can lead to antibiotic resistance. The sooner we get antibiotics, the sooner we feel better and the less likely we are to have further complications.
The most common kind of bacterial pneumonia (S. pneumoniae) also has a set of vaccines, which train the immune system to fight them off. The CDC recommends the pneumonia vaccine for children under 5 and adults aged 50 or older. According to the CDC, only 24.9% of adults had ever received a pneumococcal vaccination as of 2023.
“When you get a vaccine, you're not only protecting yourself, but you may also be protecting your immunocompromised relative or your grandparent,” Griffiths says. “There are secondary benefits to the people around. It's a social good.”
Pneumonia caused by viruses, on the other hand, have far fewer treatment options than those caused by bacteria. There are some treatments that can help influenza if started in the first 48 hours of symptoms and some oral treatments are available for COVID-19. Other than getting vaccinated for common viruses like the flu, RSV, or COVID-19, we are left with symptom management. Griffiths recommends staying hydrated and taking Acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain management while keeping a close eye on oxygen levels.
“There are little portable finger monitors, called pulse oximeters, that monitor your oxygen,” Griffiths says. “You can buy them now for roughly $20 online. They are quite helpful in terms of assessing your oxygen levels at home.”
For self-monitoring, oxygen levels should be 94% or higher. Smokers or others with compromised lungs might have slightly lower oxygen levels around 92%.
“You never know. If you've got a thermometer in the house, you might as well have an oxygen monitor,” Griffiths says. “These are common infections.”
Department:
Immunology