Getting vaccinated for flu and COVID-19 at the same time appears to give you similar protection

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2023-11-09 03:00

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You can probably get vaccinated for COVID-19 and flu on the same day without impacting the level of protection you get from either vaccine, according to a study from vaccine developer Pfizer. The researchers compared the outcomes of catching COVID-19 or flu following vaccination in nearly 3.5 million people who received either the Pfizer BA.4/5 bivalent vaccine, the seasonal influenza vaccine, or both on the same day, during autumn and winter in the US. They say patients who received both vaccines at the same time had a slightly higher likelihood of ending up in hospital if they did get COVID-19 following vaccination, and a slightly lower likelihood of ending up in hospital if they got flu following vaccination. However, these differences are likely explained by differences in general health between the groups, the team says. Overall, they say administering the vaccines together could be a good way to encourage people to get both.