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Now is the time for Americans to get the flu shot – that’s according to health officials reminding people to add an extra inoculation to their list, alongside the COVID-19 vaccine if they are eligible . It’s part of an effort to help prevent hospitals from being further overwhelmed by the hypercontagious Delta variant of the coronavirus.
It also comes as a new UK study has found that it is safe to administer the flu vaccine and the COVID-19 vaccine at the same time. U.S. guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also state that it is safe for other vaccines to be given at the same time as the COVID-19 vaccine.
Dr Leana Wen, emergency physician and professor of public health at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, said “it is entirely possible” that we are seeing a double whammy of influenza season in more COVID-19. Here are some things to know about the flu shot and the COVID-19 vaccine, according to Wen.
(Some answers have been edited for clarity.)
Yahoo News: Why is it important to get the flu shot this year?
Magnifying glass: We know that in general there is a spike in influenza cases every year. We missed it last year, and that’s because people practiced pretty strict physical distancing and masking. Now a lot of people have let their guard down. Many more children are back in the classroom. People are back to work. Also, because we didn’t have a lot of flu season last year, there are a lot of people who may not have a lot of immunity to the flu. And that’s why it’s so important for everyone to get the flu shot, and also to get the COVID shot. They are two different viruses. But fortunately, there are vaccines developed for both. It is very important to protect yourself from both the flu and COVID-19.
Who should get the flu shot and when?
Anyone eligible for the flu shot should do so. And that’s all children over 6 months old. Everyone should get the flu shot. Now is the best time to get the flu shot, in September / October. And that’s because ideally you want to get your flu shot before the flu season starts.
Can I get a flu shot and get a COVID vaccine or booster at the same time?
Yes, you can get the flu shot at the same time you get the COVID vaccine or a COVID booster. Some people may be confused about this because of last year’s guidelines. When COVID vaccines were first developed or first released, we weren’t sure if they could be given at the same time as other vaccines. And so the direction then was to space out the COVID vaccine and all other vaccines by about two weeks. Well, it is no longer the orientation that is required. Now you can go for just one date. If it’s okay with you, you may receive the COVID booster in one arm and the flu shot in the other arm. There is no reason to space it out.
Will the side effects be twice as serious if you get the flu shot at the same time as a dose of COVID vaccine?
The side effects really depend on the individual. There are a lot of people who get the flu shot every year and have no side effects. There are a lot of people who get the COVID vaccine and really have no side effects, versus some people who can have more serious side effects. Maybe they have fever, body aches and chills from both the flu shot and the COVID shot. If you are such a person and are very stressed about the possibility of having a potentially even worse side effect than usual, you can always choose to space out the vaccines yourself. But there is no reason for this to be a recommendation for everyone.
How effective is the flu shot?
The effectiveness of the flu vaccine depends on each year. And that’s because there are so many strains of the flu, and vaccine developers every year try to predict “what are these strains that are going to be there?” And they’re trying to match the vaccines to what might be the circulating strains of the flu. They may not always get it right. But here’s the other way of looking at it: Even if the flu shot is only 50 or 60 percent effective, it still keeps you from getting the flu 50 or 60 percent. And it also saves you from having serious consequences. You could have gotten really sick, but now if you get the vaccine it might prevent you from going to the hospital. These are all very compelling reasons to get the flu shot.
Remember that one of the most common misconceptions is that people think the vaccine will give them the virus somehow. This is not true. The flu vaccine, like the COVID vaccine, does not contain a live virus. So you are not going to get the flu or COVID from getting the vaccine. In fact, it is the opposite; it avoids getting sick.
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