American Heart Association: Yes, You Can Receive Flu Vaccine And COVID-19 Vaccine In Same Visit

With more people gathering this fall and reports of overburdened hospitals from COVID-19’s delta variant, the American Diabetes Association, the American Heart Association and the American Lung Association are urging individuals over six months old to get their annual flu shot, and for anyone who is eligible, to get the COVID-19 vaccine. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the flu vaccine and the COVID-19 vaccines can be given in the same visit.

COVID-19 precautions kept the last flu (influenza) season mild, but leading health experts warn that the 2021-2022 flu season may begin early and could be severe. While the COVID-19 pandemic continues, preventing influenza—which, with pneumonia, is regularly in the top 10 causes of death in the U.S.—is even more important to protect the health of people who are particularly vulnerable and to reduce the burden on U.S. hospitals, according to a news release issued by the American Heart Association this week. 

Free, downloadable information on flu, COVID-19 and chronic health conditions are also available through the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.