(BPT) - Summer is here and, for many people, it's a time to kick back, relax and enjoy some much-needed vacation time - and pneumococcal pneumonia shouldn't stand in your way of enjoying all that summer has to offer.

Pneumococcal pneumonia is a potentially serious bacterial lung disease that can disrupt your life for weeks and can even put you in the hospital or be life-threatening. And you're at increased risk if you're 65 or older, or 19 or older with certain underlying medical conditions like asthma, diabetes, or chronic heart disease.

People often think that pneumococcal pneumonia can only be caught in the winter or during flu season, but it can strike any time of year.

Vaccination helps protect against pneumococcal pneumonia, and is available all year round, so now is the time to get vaccinated and have one less thing to think about when you're enjoying warmer weather and longer days - whether it's gardening, beach-time or trying out that new grill.

Even if you've already been vaccinated against pneumococcal pneumonia previously, your healthcare provider may recommend another vaccination against it for additional protection.

So, in addition to sunscreen and staying hydrated, another preventative health step you can take this summer is to ask your doctor or pharmacist about pneumococcal pneumonia vaccination and visit knowpneumonia.com to learn more.

Brought to you by Pfizer.