4 News Now Q&A: Is it safe to get the COVID booster and flu shot together?
Your Questions Answered
Q: Is it safe to get the COVID booster and flu shot together?
A: If you have not already, the CDC says you should get a flu shot by the end of October. This year, that time frame could overlap with the period when many people may be eligible for a booster dose of the COVID vaccine.
Health experts say it is safe to get both shots at the same time.
Although getting a COVID vaccine and a flu shot together has not been studied yet, the practice of vaccinating against different diseases at the same time is not new. Children often get several vaccines during one visit to the doctor’s office.
The CDC also reports getting a booster at the same time as a flu shot is not expected to cause a significantly worse, or previously unknown, reaction.
Doctors stress if you prefer to space out the shots because you have a history of strong reaction to vaccines, you should still get the flu shot as soon as possible.
As we enter the 19th month and second flu season in the pandemic, top health officials say this is a reality we should get used to. Fighting the flu and COVID-19 at the same time is not expected to go away anytime soon.
“You continue to have coronavirus spread, but not at the same levels as right now and it settles into a pattern,” Former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb said. “It’s more of a seasonal pattern and basically becomes a second flu.”
Last year, masking and social distancing prevented the majority of flu cases.
So far this year, flu activity has been low. But health officials warn if fewer people follow public health measures, like mask wearing, there is a concern about a surge in all respiratory viruses.
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