Safe to get Covid and flu jabs together says French health authority

The French National Authority for Health (HAS) confirmed yesterday that it is safe to get the winter flu jab and Covid booster at the same time.

It would offer the added benefit of avoiding delays related to booking appointments.

Results of its trial were ‘reassuring’ on the issue of whether the immune response to one or other of the vaccines may be decreased.

However, those who do receive the two injections on the same day are advised not to have them both in the same arm.

If you cannot or do not want to receive a flu jab and Covid booster on the same day, there is no need to wait any particular amount of time between having them.

This year, the seasonal flu jab campaign is due to launch on October 26, while the Covid booster campaign launched back at the beginning of September.

In France, third doses began to be given in September to care home residents, over-65s, and people aged 12 and above with health conditions such as autoimmune diseases and diabetes, which put them at risk of serious forms of Covid.

Around 18 million French people will be invited to top up their antibodies by having the booster for maximum protection against the Delta variant.

No decision on a third jab for all has been made in France yet – nor on whether annual jabs might be recommended in future, similar to the flu vaccination campaign. The EU is to give its official view in early October on whether it recommends everyone aged 16 or above should receive a Covid booster jab.

In future, it may even be possible to provide immunity from Covid and flu in one injection. American company Novava has been trialling a ‘hybrid vaccine’ that could do this.

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