September 11, 2023 – Israeli researchers say getting vaccinated against COVID-19 and flu at the identical time offers almost the identical protection as getting vaccinated against COVID alone.
People who received each vaccinations showed only a rather lower antibody response than individuals who received only the COVID vaccine, in response to the study published in JAMA network openedIn addition, individuals who received each vaccines reported almost as many uncomfortable side effects as individuals who received only the COVID vaccine.
The simultaneous administration of each vaccines “was not associated with a significantly weaker immune response or more frequent side effects than administration of the COVID-19 vaccine alone, supporting the simultaneous administration of these vaccines,” the researchers concluded.
From September 2022 to January 2023, healthcare employees at Sheba Medical Center in Israel received Abbott's four-strain influenza vaccine, Pfizer/BioNTech's bivalent COVID-19 booster vaccine, or each vaccines. Participants who received each vaccines received one in each arm.
The researchers collected blood samples from participants as much as 62 days after vaccination through antibody tests and online questionnaires.
Measured antibodies against COVID were only 0.84 times lower in individuals who received each vaccinations than in individuals who received only the COVID vaccine, the study said. None of the study participants developed COVID within the two months following vaccination.
The rate of self-reported reactions – corresponding to fever or fatigue – was 27.4% amongst individuals who received only the COVID vaccine, 27.6% amongst individuals who received each vaccines, and 12.7% amongst individuals who received only the flu vaccine.
The researchers concluded that recommending each vaccines at the identical time was an “acceptable practice” because “vaccine adherence is certainly higher during a single clinic visit than during two separate visits, particularly in more vulnerable populations” corresponding to the elderly.
In the U.S., people may soon have to choose whether to get vaccinated at the identical time. The FDA approved the newest COVID-19 vaccine on Monday, meaning it might be available to the general public as soon as this week.
According to the CDCGetting each at the identical time is suitable, but a study found that responses increased by roughly 8 to 11% when each were administered concurrently.