Recommendations for COVID-19 and flu vaccines are identical and are extremely important for your long-term health.
Flu season is in full swing in the United States, and doctors are urging people of all ages to get vaccinated — starting at 6 months old, get vaccinated. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, getting a flu shot along with the COVID-19 vaccine this month or next is the safest, since flu activity typically increases in the fall and cases peak sometime between December and February.
Doctors say it takes two to three weeks for the vaccine to be fully effective.
Why is it advisable to get vaccinated against the flu?
According to doctors, after more than a decade of quadrivalent formulations, this year’s flu vaccine is a trivalent vaccine that does not include an influenza B/Yamagata component. It is supposed to target three strains of flu:
- Influenza A H1N1 virus
- Influenza A H3N2 virus
- Influenza B or Victoria virus
According to experts, the B/Yamagata lineage has not been detected globally since March 2020, suggesting it may have been eliminated. For adults, those who have received organ transplants between the ages of 18 and 64, or those taking immunosuppressive drugs, vaccines will include:
- HD-IIV3 with high-dose trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine
- AllV3, which is a trivalently adjuvanted inactivated influenza vaccine
These new flu vaccines are high-dose, as they contain a higher amount of antigen, an ingredient that triggers an immune response. The vaccines also feature Fluad, which contains an ingredient that helps boost the immune response, called an adjuvant.
Is it safe to get the COVID-19 and flu vaccines at the same time?
According to doctors, both doses can be administered, either in the same arm or in the other arm at the same time, because the flu vaccine does not protect against COVID-19 and vice versa. The recommendations for both vaccines are identical and are extremely important for long-term health.
NBC Health A small study published earlier this month says that giving COVID-19 and flu vaccines together boosted antibody responses to the coronavirus in blood samples, but experts aren’t yet sure if that translates to greater protection. Getting the vaccines at the same time may slightly increase side effects, according to a CDC study, though reactions are still generally mild. You may have a mild fever, aches and chills that go away on their own in 2 to 3 days.
Federal statistics show that about 25,000 people have died from the flu in the United States and 400,000 have been hospitalized in 2023. Experts also anticipate another big wave of COVID-19 this winter, perhaps at the same time that flu cases peak.
The new COVID-19 vaccines, recently approved by the FDA, target the KP.2 variant, which became dominant across the country in late April and early summer. A genetically similar strain, KP.3.1.1, has since taken over, but scientists say the latest vaccine should offer better protection — even more so than previous vaccines.
How much do the injections cost?
Experts say flu vaccines are readily available at doctors’ offices, pharmacies, health centers and some workplaces. All Walmart, CVS and Walgreens pharmacies have COVID-19 and flu vaccines in stock.
Government officials say those with insurance do not have to pay for vaccines as long as they get them from an in-network provider. COVID-19 and flu vaccines are also covered for uninsured children through the government-run Vaccines for Children Program. Uninsured adults can find free or low-cost vaccines at some federally qualified health centers or state or local health departments, but supply may be limited.
The COVID-19 vaccine costs between $150 and $200, while flu shots can cost between $25 and $100, depending on the dose.
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