Dates and Locations:
Friday, October 15, 9AM – 2PM, Bronxville Court Room at Village Hall, 200 Pondfield Road, Bronxville, 9AM – 2PM, Eastchester Public Library, 11 Oakridge Place, Eastchester.
Wednesday, November 3, 10AM – 1PM, Tuckahoe Community Center, 71 Columbus Avenue, Tuckahoe.
This year, flu vaccines and COVID-19 vaccines are both widely available, leading some people to wonder: Is it safe to get both shots? There is very good data to show that both vaccines are safe, and no reason to avoid getting them both around the same time. Last year, the U.S. saw very little flu, due largely to the measures put in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus, including masking, distancing, and hand hygiene. But health authorities are concerned that the easing of COVID-19 restrictions and a lack of immunity from the flu last year could lead to a worse-than-usual flu season.
Early flu and early COVID-19 can look a lot alike, which can lead to people worrying if they have COVID-19 and may necessitate quarantining people and family members. It would be better to avoid it in the first place by having increased immunity against both the flu and COVID-19.
NewYork Presbyterian’s Health Matters gives you the latest information from our leading experts about the safety of getting both a flu shot and the COVID-19 vaccine, what to expect from this year’s flu season, and the best time to get the shots.
Are there any health risks to getting the flu vaccine at the same time as a COVID-19 vaccine? No. When the COVID-19 vaccine first came out in December of 2020, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended against getting any other vaccine within two weeks before or after the COVID-19 vaccine. They were being extra careful to ensure that nothing interfered with the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine, but they rescinded that guidance because there wasn’t evidence to support it. We already give people multiple vaccines at the same time.
This year, you can get both the flu vaccine and COVID-19 vaccine. You may experience more side effects if you get both at the same time. And that’s why splitting them up, if you’re nervous about the side effects, is reasonable. It often takes a few days after the COVID-19 vaccine before the arm soreness and other mild reactions are gone, so you can plan to get your flu vaccine a couple of days after the COVID-19 shot if you don’t want to get them on the same day
For more information, call the Flu Shot Hotline at 914-787-6060 For more stories about science, care and wellness, visit www.healthmatters.nyp.org.
