Study Suggests Simultaneous COVID and Flu Shots Might Improve Antibody Response

According to research presented at the Vaccines Summit Boston, having both the seasonal flu vaccine and the COVID-19 immunization at the same time may result in a more effective antibody response against the coronavirus than receiving the doses separately. Researchers in Massachusetts discovered that patients who got both the bivalent COVID booster and the seasonal influenza vaccination on the same day had greater levels of IgG1 antibodies, which play an essential role in the body’s resistance to COVID-19.  

According to the study’s lead author, Susanna Barouch of the Ragon Institute’s Systems Serology Lab in Cambridge, Massachusetts, delivering both vaccinations simultaneously resulted in more robust and longer-lasting COVID-19 antibody responses. While the research is being peer-reviewed and published in a scientific journal, long-term protection against COVID-19 may be possible.  

Ryan McNamara, the lab’s chief and a senior author on the research, underlined the need to quickly publicize these early findings so that public health experts may make informed decisions. He did, however, admit that a bigger sample size of volunteers was needed to replicate the study and corroborate its findings.

The CDC now advises that COVID and flu vaccinations be administered together. Dr. Judith O’Donnell, chief of infectious diseases at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, underlined the significance of future studies with the current 2023 vaccines to demonstrate the efficacy of simultaneous administration. McNamara, the study’s chief researcher, said he didn’t know why the simultaneous dosage increased immune response.

Some study shows that the two vaccinations may have a synergistic impact on people whose immune systems have already been primed by prior exposure to COVID-19 or immunization. Despite the possible advantages, there are concerns about the increasing negative repercussions. According to a 2022 research study, participants who received both the COVID and flu vaccinations at the same time experienced higher rates of weariness, headaches, and muscular soreness.

According to a study released in October by the Food and Drug Administration, a high-dose flu shot and a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine were related to a slight increase in stroke risk in older people.While infectious disease specialists such as UCHealth’s Dr. Michelle Barron acknowledge that vaccines have certain dangers, they underline that the benefits greatly outweigh the risks.  

Despite a 20% increase in flu-related hospital admissions and a 50% increase in positive flu tests, infectious disease specialists believe co-administration is still a feasible choice. The CDC reports low immunization rates for both the flu and COVID-19, but doctors nevertheless advise being vaccinated as soon as possible.  

News Reference 

Should you get your Covid and flu shots at the same time? New research suggests yes. (2023). Retrieved from https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/get-covid-flu-shots-time-new-research-suggests-yes-rcna124932