With the arrival of flu season and the continued threat of coronavirus, it’s important to schedule a flu shot to protect yourself from this potentially serious respiratory illness. However, if you still haven’t gotten a COVID-19 vaccine or you are now eligible to schedule a booster shot for added protection, you may wonder if you can get both vaccines at the same time.
The short answer is yes, you can get both shots at once without compromising the protection you get from either one. However, there are a few considerations for getting both vaccines at the same time.
- It’s best to get the shots in different arms. Both the flu shot and coronavirus vaccine are known to cause some inflammation, redness, and soreness at the injection site. For this reason, it’s recommended that those getting the shots at the same time receive one in either arm.
- Side effects are more likely, but they won’t be compounded. There are some common side effects associated with both vaccines, including fever, headaches, body aches, and other mild flu-like symptoms. Receiving both vaccinations at once does increase the chances that you’ll experience one or more of these symptoms, but they aren’t likely to be more severe than they would be after receiving just one vaccine. And while these side effects may be somewhat uncomfortable, they are not dangerous. It’s also important to remember that though the COVID-19 vaccine is still new, the practice of administering multiple vaccines at once is not—just think back to your school days when you’d get multiple vaccines and boosters in a single checkup.
- You can still space out your vaccines. It is still okay to separate your vaccine appointments and get your flu shot on its own. However, the CDC has emphasized the importance of receiving a flu shot early this year, so you should be sure to get yours before the end of October.
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