Coronavirus Vaccines
Should I have the flu shot if I have the coronavirus vaccine?
There is no danger to having both vaccines and Dr Anthony Fauci is telling Americans to get there jabs before the flu season begins.
Flu season is approaching and despite a large drop in flu cases due to covid-19, people should still get their jabs to prevent another viral disease being in mass circulation. In an interview with CNN’s The Situation Room, the White House’ chief medical advisor Dr Anthony Fauci recommended that people get the vital shots as soon as they can.
“What you should do is get it as soon as you can and in the most expeditious manner,” Fauci told host Wolf Blitzer. “If that means going in and getting the flu shot in one arm the covid shot in the other, that's perfectly fine. There's nothing wrong with that at all."
He continued: “In fact, that might make it more convenient and more likely that you would actually go get both of them if you can do it conveniently in one visit. So, whatever it takes to get both of them, go ahead and do it. If it's one visit, it's perfectly fine.”
Why it is safe to have both jabs
A British study by the University of Bristol published on Thursday found that side effects were not serious in tests with three flu vaccines and either the Pfizer or AstraZeneca shot.
"This is a really positive step which could mean fewer appointments for those who require both vaccines," chief investigator Rajeka Lazarus said.
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What is the latest covid-19 situation?
Data from John Hopkins University shows that deaths in the US from covid-19 have surpassed 700,000, the highest in the world. The world also passed the grim milestone of 5 million deaths from the virus.
“Reaching 700,000 deaths is a tragic and completely avoidable milestone. We had the knowledge and the tools to prevent this from happening, and unfortunately politics, lack of urgency and mistrust in science got us here,” John Brownstein, an epidemiologist at Boston children’s hospital, told ABC News.
At present, the US is on its way out of another peak in cases, with the highest day of cases for months being September 7. It saw more than 300,000 new cases in one day alone.
Despite the relative lull in cases at the start of October, seasonal cold weather in the winter will force people back indoors where the virus spreads easier. This is compounded by the overall vaccination rate in the country at just 56%. For comparison, Canada has more than 71% of people vaccinated, while the UK has more than 65%. There is every chance there will be another spike this Christmas.