Last week, health officials approved updated versions of the COVID-19 vaccines that protect against coronavirus strains that emerged more recently. And, as was the case in previous years, you’ll have the option to get this booster and your usual flu vaccine at the same appointment.
As NBC‘s Today Show reports, summer’s COVID-19 resurgence has lingered into fall, and “I’m anticipating that will continue,” Dr. William Werbel, assistant professor of medicine and infectious disease specialist at Johns Hopkins University. So it makes sense to consider getting an updated shot soon, especially before the winter holiday season. But, he adds, “2023 is not the same as 2020 by any stretch.”
While rates of hospitalization and death due to COVID-19 are up right now, “We’re not even half of where we were last year, and we’re not even a fifth of where we were in 2021,” Dr. Krystina L. Woods, hospital epidemiologist and medical director of infection prevention at Mount Sinai West, said in an interview with TODAY.com.
So far, other illnesses — such as the flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are appearing at lower levels, Dr. Thomas Murray, associate professor of pediatric infectious diseases at the Yale School of Medicine. “This is the very beginning of the typical respiratory season, but certainly we’ve got evidence that the viruses are circulating,” he says.
Can I get my COVID-19 booster and flu vaccine at the same time?
To get the most protection, experts recommend getting vaccinated ahead of the peak of respiratory virus season – in October or early November at the latest, because that’s when flu season ramps up – and it usually takes a couple of weeks for those vaccine antibodies to take full effect.
Depending on your schedule, it might make the most sense to get multiple vaccines in one appointment. So, yes, you can get your flu shot at the same time as your updated COVID-19 booster. “Studies conducted throughout the COVID-19 pandemic indicate that it is safe to get both a flu vaccine and a COVID-19 vaccine at the same visit,” according to the official guidance from the CDC.
One of the big reasons for that is just simple convenience, Murray says. This way, you don’t need to make multiple visits, or you can get them both done while you happen to be shopping at your local pharmacy without needing to come back. If getting these two vaccines at once is the only practical way you’re going to get them both before the peak season hits, it makes sense to do so, the experts say.
But if you recently had another COVID-19 vaccine or a COVID-19 infection, you may need to wait on your updated booster. The CDC recommends waiting at least until your isolation period is over and, potentially, up to three months after a recent infection. That’s not because it’s dangerous to get them too close together, but because you’ll get some protection from the previous dose or infection, so you probably don’t need another dose yet.
Even if you or your child had COVID-19 within the last few months, you can still get the flu shot now and the updated booster later. And if you’re not sure what makes the most sense for you, check with your doctor.
Will I get more side effects if I get them at the same time?
According to the Today Show reports, research suggests that people don’t necessarily get more intense side effects if they get these two vaccines together, Woods says. “This isn’t a ‘one plus one equals two’ kind of a thing,” she says. “It just has to do with your immune response building up, and people are very individual.”
A CDC study published last summer found that people who got both their flu shot and COVID-19 vaccine at the same time experienced slightly more side effects than those who got just their COVID-19 booster on its own. Specifically, people who got both vaccines reported more fatigue, headaches and muscle aches than those who just got one. People can feel “crummier,” Werbel says, but there’s no data to suggest that having the two together can make severe reactions to the vaccine more likely, such as allergic reactions or heart issues.
If you’re considering getting the two together, think about how you felt last time and how you usually feel after getting vaccines. Last year, if you felt really unwell following your vaccines, that might be how you feel this year — and it could be a good reason to get them separately this time around, Woods says.
To make things a little more bearable, the CDC suggests getting one shot in each arm or, if you’re getting them in the same limb, to get them at least an inch apart. In the event that you have a more severe reaction to one vaccine or the other, this will also help keep track of which one it was, Murray explains.
Here are the most common potential side effects of each, according to the CDC.
Common COVID-19 booster side effects:
- Pain, swelling and redness at the injection site
- Fever
- Chills
- Headache
- Muscle aches
- Fatigue
- Nausea
Common flu shot side effects:
- Redness, soreness and swelling around the injection site
- Fever
- Nausea
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Muscle aches
How to prepare for booster and flu shot side effects:
First, plan ahead. Try to schedule your vaccines for when you don’t have much going on in the following day or two, just in case you need to lay low due to side effects. “So if you have a big meeting at work or your child is in sports and has a big game, that’s probably not the day to go get the vaccine,” Murray said.
If you’re in pain after your shots, take over-the-counter pain medications like ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Guidance on this might vary because there are “some theoretical concerns” that taking a medication like this could affect how well your immune system responds to the vaccine, Murray said. But if you’re feeling significant side effects like arm soreness, fever, headache or muscle aches, the experts agree that it’s reasonable to manage those with OTC medication. (But you should not take those medications before getting your shots, the CDC says.)
The CDC also suggests gently using or exercising the arm that’s sore and applying a cool compress to ease soreness and swelling. And Woods recommends using a warm compress or letting warm water run over your sore arm in the shower or bath. There are a few potentially serious (but rare) side effects, like allergic reactions, that require medical attention. And if you’re experiencing side effects for more than three days, you should check in with your doctor.
But, for the most part, think of those side effects as signs that your vaccines are kicking in and that your body is doing its job to keep you safe.
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