It’s actually perfectly safe, according to the CDC. While your arm might hurt a little more than normal, it won’t be harmful to get vaccinated for COVID-19 and the flu at the same time.

Our AFC Urgent Care Cleveland team provides further helpful information below, so keep reading!

Why Is It Safe to get the COVID-19 and Flu Vaccines Together?

In recent studies, the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine hasn’t shown to cause any problems when given in tandem with the flu vaccine.

At first, when the COVID-19 vaccines were granted authorization for emergency use, the CDC recommended waiting 14 days between getting that and any other vaccine, but this is no longer advised. The CDC hasn’t reported any severe side effects from those who have received both vaccines at the same time.

Common Vaccine Side Effects

• Pain, redness or swelling on the arm vaccinated
• Tiredness
• Headache
• Muscle pain
• Chills
• Fever
• Nausea

Can I Catch the Flu and COVID-19 at the Same Time?

You can. While COVID-19 is far more dangerous overall than the flu, the flu can still be severe for some groups. Certain people, including the very young and very old, can be at increased risk for severe or even dangerous diseases.

If you were to catch COVID-19 and the flu at the same time, it could potentially be catastrophic to the immune system. Below, we’ve listed some ways to stay safe this winter to ensure that doesn’t happen.

Ways to Stay Healthy This Winter

• Wear a mask in public.
• Frequently wash your hands for at least 20 seconds.
• If you don’t have access to soap and water, use alcohol-rich hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth as much as possible.
• Cover your mouth with a tissue or elbow when you sneeze or cough.

Have COVID-19 or flu-related questions? We’re here for you, so don’t hesitate to stop by or reach out to our AFC Urgent Care Cleveland center today!