Should You Get Your COVID-19 Booster and Flu Shot at the Same Time?

If you haven’t had or been vaccinated against COVID-19 in the last few months, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says you should get a new booster shot this fall. The latest shots, which were authorized in late August and are available now, were designed to target currently circulating Omicron variants. The new boosters can be given at the same time as a seasonal flu shot, the CDC says. But should you get both jabs at once, or space them out? It’s a simple question with a surprisingly complex answer. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] Though the opinion isn’t universal, many experts, including White House medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci, say you should get your COVID-19 booster as soon as you’re eligible—which is at least two months after your last vaccine dose or three months after your last SARS-CoV-2 infection. In a recent podcast interview, Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House’s COVID-19 response coordinator, recommended getting boosted by Halloween to ensure you’re protected for the holidays and the usual winter virus season. “Get it now. If you’ve been vaccinated or [recently] infected, it’s fine to wait a little longer,” Jha said. “But don’t wait too long. Don’t wait until you get into late November, December. Do it sooner rather than later.” Jha’s suggested booster timing lines up with the CDC’s advice on flu shots, which is to get vacci...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized COVID Questions COVID-19 healthscienceclimate Source Type: news