With flu season approaching and Covid-19 cases likely to surge again this fall, many Americans are wondering two things: A seasonal flu vaccine and a new Omicron-specific Covid-19 booster at the same time?
but, CDC It says it’s perfectly fine to get the flu vaccine and Covid-19 vaccination at the same time, but there’s no specific guidance on the newly prescribed boosters.
Still, pharmacies like Walgreens and CVS It offers the vaccine as a package deal, and people have already started getting both shots at the same time.
But not all public health experts believe this is the best approach, especially given the average flu vaccination schedule that the United States has followed since pre-pandemic, a virologist at Rockefeller University said. Associate Professor Teodora Hatzioanou said:
“For the average person, maybe a little slower is better,” says Hatziioannou.
“When should I get the flu vaccine?”
The timing of getting the flu shot should be aligned with the time frame that allows for the best antibody response at the beginning of flu season, Hatziioannou told CNBC Make It.
According to Hatziioannou, it’s important to look at data from recent years before the pandemic hit to determine when cases historically began to rise in the region.
The standard rule of thumb is to get vaccinated four weeks before flu season starts to get the most effective antibodies, she said.
“In New York and several other areas of the same geographical latitude, the flu season usually starts in December and lasts through March,” she says. [the flu shot] now, the end of September or [early] For October, the antibody response peaks in November. It’s a little too early, isn’t it? ”
At this time, Hatziioanou recommends getting your flu shot in late October or early November for best protection throughout December.
And because vaccine protections generally weaken over time, getting the vaccine too early can leave you with fewer antibodies at the end of the flu season, she says.
“All I can say is that we definitely get both shots because the combinations can get pretty messy this year,” says Hatzioannow.
“I don’t want to catch the flu during the Covid epidemic, and I don’t want to catch SARS-CoV-2 during the flu epidemic. I can imagine the double whammy going to be really bad.”
“Do I need to get the Omicron booster and the flu shot at the same time?”
Mark Conroy, an emergency physician at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, says there’s no specific reason why you can’t get the Omicron booster at the same time as the flu vaccine.
“Regarding side effects from Omicron-specific vaccines and flu shots, no studies have specifically looked at the two together,” says Conroy. There were really no ill effects associated with the shot, and doing both shots at the same time. ”
And if you’re worried you won’t be able to find availability to get your flu shot later in the year, Conroy recommends double booking.
“What’s the biggest risk if you don’t get them at the same time? And the risk is just forgetting to get the flu shot later,” he says. “
But if you can wait for a flu shot, he recommends getting it in mid- to late-October or early November, as Hatziioannou suggested.
“From an Omicron booster standpoint, my recommendation is people get it as soon as possible. Covid is around enough to make people sick. September is a little early for flu shots.” In general, we recommend purchasing in late autumn.”
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