What Doctors Want You to Know About Getting COVID and Flu Shots Together
Finding time to get vaccinated can be tricky, and it’s understandable to want to minimize trips to the pharmacy or doctor. With that, it’s fair to wonder if you can get your COVID and flu shots at the same time.
Meet the experts: Thomas Russo, M.D., professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo in New York; Jennifer Walsh, D.N.P., an associate professor of nursing at George Washington University; William Schaffner, M.D., an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.
Advice around this has flip-flopped since the COVID-19 pandemic began, creating a little confusion on whether you can double up or if it’s best to space out your shots. And with flu season and COVID waves potentially overlapping, getting vaccinated is more important than ever.
Here’s what doctors want you to know about getting your COVID and flu vaccines at the same time, what side effects to expect, and what to generally consider if you’re thinking of going this route.
Can I get the COVID and flu shots at the same time?
Yes, you can get your COVID and flu shots at the same time. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that you can get the COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccines, including the flu vaccine, at once.
“Getting them at the same time won’t affect the immune response,” says Thomas Russo, M.D., professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo in New York.
“The immune system is amazing and can handle multiple vaccines at the same time,” says Jennifer Walsh, D.N.P., an associate professor of nursing at George Washington University. “Rarely, some individuals might have a slightly more intense reaction with the mRNA vaccines—perhaps more soreness or achiness, but it is still absolutely safe to get both at the same time and what we recommend for most.”
Some doctors will do this, too. “I got mine simultaneously last year, and in the same arm,” says William Schaffner, M.D., an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. “It’s not only permitted but encouraged because a vaccine deferred is often a vaccine that’s not received.”
When should I get my COVID and flu shots?
The updated COVID-19 vaccine is now available, and doctors recommend getting it as soon as possible. However, you have a little more time on your flu shot—the CDC just suggests getting it before Halloween.
Potential side effects of getting the COVID and flu shot at the same time
The flu shot and COVID-19 shot each come with their own potential side effects. Here’s what you may experience in terms of side effects when you get the flu shot:
Soreness, redness, and swelling where the shot is given
Fever
Muscle aches
Headache
And these are the most common potential side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine:
Pain, swelling, and redness on the arm where the shot was given
Fatigue
Headache
Muscle pain
Chills
Nausea
Fever
“If you do get them simultaneously, there’s no evidence of adding on side effects,” Dr. Schaffner says. “You might get two sore arms, but that’s it.”
Here’s the thing: If you tend to have side effects after getting your flu or COVID-19 shot, or after both, it’s still likely you may have them when you get both at once. And, if you’ve reacted to both in the past, you could end up dealing with both side effects at once, Dr. Russo points out.
“If you’re an individual that gets reactogenic symptoms, you might feel worse by getting the shots together,” he says. His recommendation: Try to get your flu shot the afternoon before you’re off, like on a Friday, if you’re off on Saturdays. That can give you some time to relax and rest if you need it.
Which shot should I get first, if I space them out?
Again, you can definitely get the flu and COVID vaccines at the same time. But if you decide to space them out, it’s probably better to get the COVID-19 vaccine first.
“I would definitely get the COVID vaccine first, particularly if you’re high risk,” Dr. Russo says. “COVID is circulating everywhere, but there’s very little flu circulating now.”
Dr. Schaffner agrees: “There’s more COVID out there at the moment than there is flu.”
If you decide to space them out, Dr. Russo suggests putting a week between your vaccines, noting that most people who get side effects tend to feel better within a day. “But if the only chance you have to get vaccinated is to get those two shots together, get them at the same time,” he says.
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