Is a "post viral bacterial infection" essentially pneumonia?

[TurmericFan]

An asthmatic mid-40s male friend of mine has come down with Covid for the first time, actually likely picked up on his first trip abroad. He tested positive last Wednesday.

He says he's feeling much worse today and has been told (I guess by phone since he's not left the house) that he has a post viral bacterial infection. He's been issued antibiotics for it.

Is it essentially the same thing as bacterial pneumonia, and could be worse than the Covid itself?

[LIZS]

A chest infection is not necessarily pneumonia.

[FavouritePi]

Not necessarily, it's just an infection you can get afterwards so it could be chest, tonsils, etc. I was warned about this when I had covid in 2020 and given antibiotics in case.

Hopefully he feels better very soon!

[EmmaH2022]

Okay, well fingers crossed it won't be that. The antibiotics hit me hard but it was an acute episode I had and really fierce, so they had no option but knockout antibiotics. I refused a hospital admission but I think that was the right thing for me.

I know a couple of people who had post Covid pneumonia and they are fine. I know it's easy to say but try not to worry, just do whatever you can for him.

[TurmericFan]

@EmmaH2022

Has he been told bacterial pneumonia?

i'm sorry to say I've had it in my 20s and it knocked me badly for a month.

has he had the pneumonia vaccine? I hadn't in those days but had it a few years after.

No, the doctor didn't use the P word. He was just told it's a chest infection and he's to take antibiotics for a week. So hopefully that'll be all it is.

Thanks to you both for your answers and sorry to hear how bad it was for you!

[EmmaH2022]

Has he been told bacterial pneumonia?

i'm sorry to say I've had it in my 20s and it knocked me badly for a month.

has he had the pneumonia vaccine? I hadn't in those days but had it a few years after.

[Ohsugarhoneyicetea]

Covid creates an excellent breeding ground in your lungs for bacteria - all that mucus. Whether its worse than the covid infection itself, I dont know. Depends on how bad and how systemically covid effected you. I had pneumonia during covid, but covids damage to my central nervous system has been worse than any bacterial infection I had.