Is a Combo COVID/Flu Shot on the Method?
By Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 15, 2021 (HealthDay Information)
Through the subsequent few weeks or months, you may end up dropping by the physician’s workplace or pharmacy to get your annual flu shot together with a dose of COVID vaccine.
Sadly, you may should get two particular person jabs. Although no less than two drug corporations are engaged on a combo flu/COVID booster, the single-dose shot will not be prepared for this flu season.
However relaxation assured that it is completely protected to get your flu shot and COVID vaccination throughout the identical go to, infectious illness medical doctors say.
Getting a number of vaccinations without delay has been customary medical observe for many years now, and these combos have by no means triggered any hurt, mentioned Dr. William Schaffner, medical director of the Bethesda, Md.-based Nationwide Basis for Infectious Ailments.
“It definitely hasn’t inhibited the armed forces,” mentioned Schaffner, a professor of infectious illness and preventive medication on the Vanderbilt College Faculty of Drugs in Nashville, Tenn. “While you’re a recruit, you get needled. You get an entire bunch of vaccines concurrently.”
It does not overwhelm your immune system, he mentioned.
“And the CDC [U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] has mentioned explicitly you may get your first, second or — in the event that they’re advisable — booster COVID vaccines on the similar time that you just get your flu shot,” Schaffner added.
Anticipating that annual COVID boosters will likely be wanted sooner or later, the pharmaceutical corporations Moderna and Novavax each have introduced that they’re creating a mix flu/COVID vaccine.
Moderna instructed traders final week it hopes ultimately to construct an annual combo vaccine that protects towards quite a lot of respiratory viruses, together with influenza, COVID and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
In the meantime, Novavax mentioned it has initiated early-stage scientific trials to check a mixed flu/COVID vaccine.
Do not go searching for both combo shot this flu season, mentioned Dr. Amesh Adalja, senior scholar with the Johns Hopkins Heart for Well being Safety in Baltimore.
“I don’t suppose that that is going to be one thing obtainable within the quick time period, particularly not for this flu season as flu vaccinations have already turn out to be obtainable,” he mentioned.
Schaffner agreed.
“They’re trying to the longer term,” Schaffner mentioned of the drug corporations. “They suppose COVID boosters will likely be needed, they usually’re even laying their guess this is perhaps a good suggestion on an annual foundation, as a result of that might be the schedule in which you’d have to get flu vaccine. They’re fascinated with that fairly critically and have invested a bunch of science in it.”
Adalja says the combo COVID/flu shot may very well be a wise concept, if it seems we do want boosters towards COVID.
“The extra vaccines that may be packed into one shot the higher, because it makes getting vaccinated and staying on schedule handy,” he mentioned. “Whether or not it is a vaccine everybody wants relies upon upon the info supporting the necessity for booster COVID vaccinations, which has not been totally introduced.”
Numerous different mixture vaccines are already in the marketplace, just like the tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis (Tdap) and the measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) photographs, Adalja mentioned.
Whether or not a COVID/flu combo could be protected and efficient will rely upon the immune response that is produced by a single jab, Adalja mentioned.
He famous that the MMR and varicella (chickenpox) vaccines are separated for the primary dose, after which mixed right into a single MMRV shot for an individual’s second dose.
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That is as a result of when the combo MMRV is given as one shot for the primary dose, it produces extra antagonistic reactions than breaking it into two separate jabs, Adalja mentioned.
Both manner, infectious illness medical doctors like Schaffner and Adalja are bracing for a flu season that may very well be worse than final yr. In accordance with the CDC, flu circumstances have been at an all-time low in 2020-2021 as pandemic protections akin to masking and social distancing additionally served to maintain influenza at bay.
“Individuals are involved as a result of we’re doing precisely the alternative of what we did final yr,” Schaffner mentioned. “We’re going out as an alternative of staying dwelling. The youngsters are at school somewhat than studying nearly. So we anticipate there will likely be influenza this yr. We will not let you know how a lot, however we predict there will likely be influenza, so we will should reintroduce everybody to this different respiratory virus which can also be nasty — influenza.”
Schaffner can also be frightened that public well being consultants will likely be selling flu photographs “at a time of vaccine fatigue,” throughout which individuals may also be touting COVID booster photographs amongst some teams.
Nevertheless it’s nonetheless anybody’s guess what is going to occur this flu season, Adalja famous.
“It is unclear whether or not influenza will likely be a significant component this season as a result of there has not been a lot flu circulating even within the Southern Hemisphere, and there are some residual COVID-19 mitigation measures that persons are taking,” Adalja mentioned. “However influenza has a particular standing, and it is rather vital to be ready for regardless of the season could maintain.”
Extra data
The U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention has extra about influenza.
SOURCES: William Schaffner, MD, professor, infectious illness and preventive medication, Vanderbilt College Faculty of Drugs, Nashville, and medical director, Nationwide Basis for Infectious Ailments, Bethesda, Md.; Amesh Adalja, MD, senior scholar, Johns Hopkins Heart for Well being Safety, Baltimore
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