Health Literacy AsiaCincinnati Children’s led a large study that showed it’s safe to get COVID-19 and flu vaccines at the same time. This makes it more convenient to protect against both illnesses, especially during winter when these viruses are more common.
The study, published on November 6, 2024, in JAMA Network Open, supports getting both vaccines together. This simplifies staying protected against serious respiratory illnesses.
Doctors Elizabeth Schlaudecker and Mary Allen Staat from Cincinnati Children’s worked with the CDC and researchers at Duke University and Johns Hopkins University. They studied 335 people aged 5 and older between October 2021 and June 2023. Now, they are starting a similar study to see if it’s safe for pregnant people to get both vaccines at the same time.
The goal, according to Dr. Schlaudecker, is to make it easier for people to stay vaccinated during flu and COVID-19 peaks, protecting those at high risk.
Flu vaccines are updated every year to match changing viruses, and getting a flu shot is a yearly habit for many. COVID-19 vaccines also need updates to keep up with changes in the virus and continue providing protection.
Since flu and COVID-19 cases often peak in winter, people typically get both vaccines around the same time. The CDC allows both vaccines to be given at once, using different spots on the body, but until now, there wasn’t much information on the safety of doing so.
This clinical trial compared two groups: one got both vaccines on the same day, while the other got the flu vaccine about a week after the COVID-19 shot. Researchers checked for side effects like pain, swelling, fever, or chills. The results showed that both groups experienced similar, mild, and short-lived reactions. No one needed medical attention for these side effects.
These findings confirm that getting both vaccines together is safe, making it easier to protect yourself from serious illnesses.
By Global Health Press
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