Why get your flu shot and covid booster at the same time? Experts weigh in

Pharmacies, clinics, and primary care providers are offering the 2023-2024 updated covid booster and this year’s flu vaccine—and it’s both safe and convenient to get both vaccines at the same time, according to medical experts.

In fact, you can get both shots in the same arm, said Dr. Graham Snyder, medical director of infection prevention and hospital epidemiology at UPMC.

“There is no compelling evidence that either the effectiveness of either vaccine, or the risk of having a complication or side effects, is any different if you take them together or if you take them separately,” said Snyder.

“The CDC says that getting your respiratory virus vaccines together is perfectly fine,” he said. “We always want to make sure as many people as possible are availing themselves of these two protections.”

Both vaccines sometimes have minor side effects, like a sore arm or body aches, but they shouldn’t last more than a few days, Snyder added.

“When we inject your arm (and it gets sore,) that is the blood flowing to that area, and that is your immune response in that area, just like if you get stung by a bee or if you get bitten by something,” explained Dr. Brian Lamb, internal medicine physician at AHN. “Your immune system is going to that area. Your body is detecting something foreign in that area so it’s going to investigate and see what’s going on.”

Aches and slight feverishness after the shots are a sign that your immune system is doing its job and learning how to fight the flu and covid, Lamb said. If you don’t have symptoms, that doesn’t mean the vaccine did not work—some people react differently and have milder symptoms.

“It’s kind of like putting your body through boot camp,” he said. “The vaccine is made to mimic that you’re already under attack…It’s the same type of symptoms you get when you are sick. It’s because your immune system is starting to rev up.”

Keep updated

Whether a person gets the shots at the same time or on different visits, it’s important to keep updated, Snyder said.

“People are more likely to get their full slate of vaccinations if they can get the ones that are safe and effective at the same time,” Snyder said. “It’s more likely for people to get vaccinated if you can get them when it’s convenient. You risk people not coming back for that second visit.”

Even if you previously got vaccinated for covid-19 or got your booster last year, this year’s vaccine is worth getting, said Dr. Barbara Nightingale, deputy director for clinical services at the Allegheny County Health Department.

“(Covid and flu) are still leading causes of hospitalization and death, and it changes over time,” Nightingale said. “Even if you got the vaccine previously, the viruses change over time, and your immunity fades over time.”

At the Allegheny County Immunization Clinic, people can get their flu and covid vaccines at the same time, along with a vaccine for RSV if they qualify.

“A lot of people who are older would benefit from getting all of those,” she said. “You can actually get (covid, flu, and RSV shots) at the same visit, if you want.”

Many people have been getting their covid and flu vaccines at the same time at the county clinic, she said.

“Mostly it’s convenience—it’s one and done,” she said. “Some people prefer that if they have a little bit of side effects from it, they prefer to just have it all at one time. The vast majority, it’s because of convenience, that you only have to go to one visit.”

Not too late

It’s not too late to get a flu or covid vaccine for this year, Snyder emphasized.

“Generally speaking for vaccines, it takes your body a couple weeks to get fully prepared, from the time you receive the vaccine until the immune system has had time to process that information. If you wait until influenza is already at its peak, you’ve missed the opportunity to fully protect yourself,” he said.

“We’re starting to see the number of influenza cases pick up. There may still be a lot of time left in the season—there is plenty of time to have the benefits from the protection you get from the influenza vaccine. It’s most definitely not too late.”