Another vaccine often overlooked is the pneumonia vaccine. Health officials are urging people who are getting the flu vaccine to ask their doctor if they should also receive the pneumonia vaccine.

The pneumonia vaccine is not a vaccine to be received yearly, rather, in most cases it is a once-in-a-lifetime vaccine for people 65 years and up. Younger, healthier people who have a chronic illness may need the pneumonia shot too. Health officials encourage everyone to talk to their physician before getting the vaccine.

Tuesday, valley residents received flu vaccinations in Brooke county and in Jefferson county at Tri-State Pharmacy in Weirton and at the Steubenville Health Department. Tri-State Pharmacy Owner J.J. Bernabei says the doors opened at 5 am Tuesday morning and people were already waiting in line outside.

Tri-State Pharmacy maxed-out on flu shots Tuesday, giving out all 500 of the shots they had to give. The Steubenville Health Department is not out of shots at this point. Tuesday it will be administering up to 1,000 vaccinations. Neither place is offering the pneumonia vaccine today, as both are concentrating on giving flu vaccines first because of the incredibly high demand.

"In this frenzy of getting a flu vaccine, there is nothing wrong with making a separate appointment or planning to get a pneumonia shot at another time. There is no shortage of the pneumonia shot. We can see by the showing today there is definitely a shortage of the flu shots, " says Bernabei.

Tri-State Pharmacy offers the pneumonia vaccine every day of the year and the Steubenville Health Department will have the vaccines available in November.

Julie Grant, NEWS 9