When you think about getting vaccinated, you don’t necessarily need to make multiple appointments with your doctor, at your local clinic, or wherever you go for vaccines. In fact, you can get a flu vaccine with other recommended vaccines at the same time.
This is called coadministration and is a common clinical practice. The idea is to get people up to date on all the vaccines they need so they do not need to return for additional vaccinations at a later time. Convenient, right? Thanks, science!
Generally, vaccines given at the same time should be given at different places on the body, at least one inch apart. When I do this, I usually ask for the vaccines to be given in different arms. For flu and COVID-19 vaccines, coadministration is recommended if you are eligible and the timing for each vaccine is right. Studies have shown that it is generally safe to get both vaccines at the same time. For some, the post-vaccine reaction can be a little more intense, but usually not serious. One study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention found that people who got the flu vaccine and the COVID-19 vaccine were slightly more likely to have reactions like fatigue, headache, or body aches than people who got the COVID-19 vaccine alone, but these reactions were mostly mild and cleared up quickly.
Vaccines: Exploring Coadministration and Safety Measures
You can also get a flu vaccine and an RSV vaccine at the same time. There is limited research at this time about getting the flu vaccine with the RSV vaccine since the RSV vaccines are new. However, clinical trials have shown that coadministration of both vaccines was safe. People who get both of these vaccines at the same time may be more likely to have injection-site reactions. Safety monitoring of co-administered flu and RSV vaccines by researchers and clinicians is happening and more studies are on the way. You can even get COVID-19, flu, and RSV vaccines at the same visit, if you don’t think you can return for multiple visits.
I spoke with Dr. Melissa Plúguez (AGACNP-BC), a Latina nurse practitioner, about coadministration. She told me, “With how busy we are in our lives, it’s so much easier to be able to go to your primary care office and get everything done and be set for the year. I get my vaccines all done at once, and usually do the same for my husband and my children.” You should speak with a healthcare provider or a pharmacist if you have any questions or concerns, and to confirm you are eligible for the all the vaccines.
