Covid and flu vaccines, can both be done?
Combined administration of Covid and influenza vaccines: what emerges from the Sanofi Pasteur study and the WHO expert committee on vaccinations
The World Health Organization's expert committee on vaccinations (Sage) has said yes to the combined administration of Covid and flu vaccines.
THE OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE
"Evidence" although "limited on the co-administration of seasonal influenza vaccines inactivated with Covid-19 vaccines did not show an increase in adverse events". This is what the Sage said after the last meeting.
"Since the adult age groups who are recommended to be vaccinated against seasonal flu are also at risk of developing severe Covid", the committee argues that "the simultaneous administration of an inactivated flu vaccine and any authorized Covid-19 vaccine by WHO for emergency use is acceptable and will maximize uptake of both vaccines ”.
SANOFI PASTEUR RESEARCH
The study, sponsored by Sanofi – in collaboration with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparation and Response of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, and with Moderna – was conducted in the United States and enrolled approximately 300 participants who received two doses of a Covid-19 mRNA vaccine at least five months prior to involvement.
The research evaluates the safety profile and immune response following co-administration of the third dose of Covid-19 mRNA vaccine (100 mcg dose) with the high-dose quadrivalent influenza vaccine. The full results of the study will be published later in the year.
"The preliminary results of the first descriptive study of co-administration of the high-dose quadrivalent vaccine of Sanofi Pasteur with the third dose of Covid-19 mRNA vaccine show that co-administration of the two vaccines was safe, well tolerated and with an adequate response antibody equal to each vaccine administered individually ". Thus, the Sanofi Pasteur company, in a note reported by the Dire agency .
In recent days, the Ministry of Health had also ruled in favor of the concomitant administration of the two sera in the same session.
WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY
"This study – said Francesca Trippi, Medical Head of Sanofi Pasteur – shows how in an unprecedented historical period like the one we are experiencing, still marked by the health emergency of the pandemic and with the new flu season at the door, we need answers. punctual, rapid and concrete on the optimal and effective management of vaccination campaigns ".
Michael Greenberg, Sanofi Pasteur North America Chief Medical Officer, added: “Never before this season is it even more essential to help protect older adults, who are at particularly high risk for both Covid-19 and complications from flu, which can include heart attacks and strokes. This is the first study to provide evidence to support influenza vaccination in conjunction with a Covid-19 mRNA booster in the elderly. "
THE SEASONAL INFLUENCE
The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (Ecdc), as every year, is planning an awareness campaign on seasonal flu from 18 to 22 October 2021 .
The aim is to raise awareness of the importance of vaccination for people's health and well-being and to increase adherence to flu vaccination of those who are most at risk.
THE MOST EXPOSED SUBJECTS
The elderly, the chronically ill, pregnant women and young children are more likely than others to develop serious illness if they have an infection. In addition, the ECDC recalls, healthcare workers are more exposed to different viruses on a daily basis, including the flu virus, and therefore recommends vaccination to protect themselves and patients.
DATA ON SEASONAL INFLUENCE
In the Northern Hemisphere, seasonal flu circulation is observed between November and May, so October is referred to as the optimal time to receive the flu shot.
According to WHO estimates, seasonal flu causes more than a billion cases to be recorded every year, of which 3-5 million are serious illnesses, and causes between 290,000 and 650,000 deaths.
For this reason, the Sage invites all countries to start immunization programs against influenza, paying particular attention to "health workers, the chronically ill, the elderly and pregnant women", and possibly "additional subpopulations such as children and people at high risk of severe flu, living in community settings such as prisons, long-term care facilities, camps for refugees or asylum seekers, family homes ”.
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/sanita/vaccini-anti-covid-e-antinfluenzali-si-possono-fare-entrambi/ on Tue, 12 Oct 2021 10:15:18 +0000.