Can I get the flu shot and COVID-19 vaccine at the same time, or do I have to wait for a few weeks in between?
Yes, you can get both at same time and this does not reduce the protection received. Even the RSV vaccine that is in its second season, can now be received at the same time as Flu and COVID vaccine for those who are eligible – primarily older adults.
Do I still need to get a COVID vaccine if I was previously vaccinated during the pandemic?
If you are an older adult or immune compromised, or if you are someone who cares for vulnerable populations – yes you should get vaccinated this season. The virus that causes COVID is similar to the flu in that it is constantly changing which means that a seasonal vaccine is needed that is adapted to the current strain circulating. Just like the flu vaccine is an annual seasonal vaccine, you should think of the COVID vaccine that way too.
Can I get the flu from the flu shot? I got sick after my shot last year.
No, the flu shot cannot cause infection. If you did get sick after getting the flu shot, there are a number of possible explanations:
- Maybe you had another virus (e.g., common cold) and this was not flu;
- You were in contact with the flu before vaccination (it takes 2 weeks to develop full immunity); or
- Because the flu shot doesn’t provide 100 per cent immunity, you can still get the flu if you get the flu shot, but your disease will be less severe on average than if you hadn’t received the vaccine. But the shot doesn’t give you the flu.
If neither the flu or COVID shot can guarantee that I won’t get infected, why should I bother getting it?
The greatest benefit of these vaccines is reducing risk of severe outcomes – like hospitalization or death. This is why it’s so important to vaccine high-risk individuals to keep them safe during respiratory season. While they do not always prevent infection – they do reduce the odds of getting infected which can make the difference between spreading it to others or not. This is why it’s so important to make sure caregivers of vulnerable populations are vaccinated every season.
The flu doesn’t seem that bad. Why can’t I just take my chances and not get the shot?
You’re not only getting the flu shot for yourself, it’s offering protection to those around you. While the flu may not seem like a big deal, it can have deadly consequences for many people. Every season there are over 3000 deaths and well over 10,000 hospitalizations related to flu. So even though less severe than COVID on average, it has devastating impact each year and results in major additional strain to our healthcare system.
What makes the flu so serious for some people?
The flu can be fatal in three major ways:
- The flu can cause severe inflammation of vital organs, which is when the immune system attacks itself. This can lead to failure of vital organs and requires supportive treatment in the critical care unit.
- The flu can progress into a secondary bacterial pneumonia or other respiratory conditions, which can be fatal.
- Chronic diseases that are stable with medical treatment can become destabilized by the Flu. An example is a person with limitations in mobility who can become weak and fall, or a person with known heart failure who can have difficulty breathing, or someone with heart disease can suffer a heart attack, precipitated by the Flu.
Is my immunity lowered after all these vaccines? Several years in a row, I got a cold right after the flu shot.
No, the flu and COVID shots do not lower your immune system – they boost it. You likely became ill with something else, but due to the timing it is common for people to think it was caused by the vaccine.
Is it safe to get the flu and COVID shot while pregnant?
Yes, pregnant women should absolutely be getting both the flu and COVID shot. Being pregnant places you at risk of complication from either of these infections and these shots are strongly recommended for pregnant women at all stages of pregnancy, as well as those who are breastfeeding. The flu and COVID viruses, and not the vaccines we give to prevent these, can harm pregnant women seriously enough to land them in hospital and cause death.
Another reason for pregnant women to get vaccinated is that vaccines result in antibodies that get passed on to the developing fetus, providing protection to the newborn in the first months of life. A baby can also acquire antibodies through a vaccinated mother’s breast milk.
I live a healthy lifestyle (eat well, exercise, etc.) and consider myself to be a healthy person. I never get sick. Do I still need to get the flu shot?
Yes. You do. Public health agencies from around the world recommend everyone over the age of 6 months get the flu shot every year. A flu shot not only protects you against the flu, it also helps protect your loved ones, colleagues, strangers on the street. By getting the shot, you are reducing your chance of spreading the illness. Even if you’re healthy, you should still get the flu shot.
Can flu be transmitted without symptoms like COVID?
While this is not as common, yes flu can be transmitted in absence of symptoms. This re-enforces the benefit of getting vaccinated against the flu since it reduces the chance that you could unknowingly spread it to a vulnerable person that could become an issue of life or death for them.
Besides seasonal vaccines, what other measures (if any) are still recommended?
Your best protection against circulating viruses is seasonal vaccination. Beyond that, if you do develop cold-like symptoms it is very important to stay home and especially never to come to the healthcare facilities or other high-risk areas where vulnerable populations are present – until you are fully recovered. Wearing a mask when you will be in close contact with high-risk individuals is another way of increasing their protection. At the height of the respiratory season we require universal masking at Sunnybrook when visiting or providing care to patients.
