As the country prepares for winter, the booster COVID-19 vaccine campaign and the seasonal flu campaign have been stepped up.
It has now been established that receiving both vaccines at the same time has no harmful effect on the immune response produced by either.
However, receiving both jabs at the same time can lead to two side effects.
According to new research from the University of Bristol, administering the COVID-19 and flu vaccines at the same time does not reduce the efficiency of either shot, which may assist streamline vaccination efforts ahead of winter. The study identified which two side effects may occur if both doses are administered on the same day.
The researchers examined a cohort of 679 volunteers who were randomly assigned to one of two groups for the study.
Volunteers were all above the age of 18 and had already received one dosage of either the Pfizer/BioNTech or the Oxford/AstraZeneca combination.
During their first study visit, one group received their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and the flu vaccine, followed by a placebo injection during their second appointment.
The second group received a second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and a saline injection during the first appointment, followed by the flu vaccine during the second visit.
Participants who attended a third research visit talked about the side effects they had after their second visit.
Pain at the injection site and fatigue were the two most commonly reported adverse effects.
In testing with three flu vaccines with either Pfizer or AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 injection, these observed side effects were frequently mild to moderate.
According to Dr. Rajeka Lazarus, the ComFluCOV study’s Chief Investigator and consultant in infectious diseases and microbiology:
“By conducting this study we have been able to establish that it is possible to protect people from both COVID-19 and flu at the same appointment.
“This is a positive step which could mean fewer appointments for those who require both vaccines, reducing the burden on those who have underlying health conditions and would usually be offered the influenza vaccine.”
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