Influenza vaccine and 3rd anti-Covid dose in a single appointment: how will it go?

While the Covid-19 epidemic is weakening in France, the booster vaccination campaign has started in the nursing home and USLDs. Objective: to protect this more fragile population vaccinated more than six months ago, and whose immunity decreases more quickly with age. And in particular, as the High Authority for Health recalls on September 27, “people over the age of 80 who were only 83% to be completely vaccinated on September 23, 2021.”

The third dose is also recommended by health authorities people over 65 and those with comorbidities. They can therefore already benefit from it, even if in its opinion, the High Authority for Health (HAS) had recommended than recall campaign starts “from the start of the flu vaccination campaign”so from the end of October. “The HAS wanted to wait for the opinion of the Medicines Agency (expected at the end of September, editor’s note) to have tolerance data and be sure that the 3rd dose was well tolerated”, had explained to Top Health, Professor Elisabeth Bouvet (HAS).

Why do both injections at the same time?

For the HAS, rperform the concomitant administration of vaccines against Covid-19 and against seasonal influenza allows “simplify the vaccination course“ for Lare people eligibles to both vaccinations, “most of the priority audiences for influenza vaccination also at risk of severe forms of Covid-19“.

When ? The anti-flu campaign starting this year on October 26, the double flu / Covid vaccination can be done from this date.

Before October 26, people who will receive their anti-covid reminder will therefore not be able to have both vaccines. “This represents half of people over 80, and a third of people over 65, tells us the Ministry of Health. They will be reminded at the time of their vaccination, the need to be vaccinated against the flu.

For who ?Those over 65 and those suffering from chronic pathologies, priority for vaccination anti-flu are also given priority over the booster dose.

Isn’t it risky to do both vaccines on the same day? In an opinion of September 27, the HAS confirms that this “co-administration” does not involve any danger.

Concretely, both injections can be given on the same day, one vaccine in each arm. “For people who could not receive the booster dose against Covid-19 (or for that matter a first or second dose of this vaccine) and the influenza injection simultaneously, the HAS specifies that there is no no time limit to be observed between the two vaccinations. This rule also applies to any combination between vaccines against Covid-19 and other vaccines in the vaccination schedule”, details the opinion of 09/27 from the HAS.

Or make an appointment for this double vaccination ?

Usually, to get vaccinated against the flu, priority people receive a healthcare voucher to collect their vaccine at the pharmacy. They can be vaccinated by the professional of their choice, doctor, midwife, nurse or volunteer pharmacist.

On the logistics side, that’s good: the Pfizer vaccinewhich is currently only accessible in vaccination centres, will be available in town from October 1st. Thatwill open so the possibility of double flu / Covid vaccination: the two injections can be done at the same time in pharmacies that vaccinate with both vaccines, as well as in medical and nursing practices, from October 26as soon as the flu vaccine becomes available.

But the idea would also be to “be able to collect their flu vaccine at the pharmacy to be injected in the center“, specifies the Ministry of Health. Concretely, “people will be able to buy their flu vaccine in pharmacies and bring it with them on the day of their appointment at the vaccination center for their Covid reminder”.

With which anti-Covid vaccine? The Moderna vaccine is already available in town. The Pfizer will also be in October. It will therefore be possible to combine the anti-influenza vaccination with one of the two messenger RNA vaccines. The health authorities authorizing heterologous vaccination. Clearly: the two mRNA vaccines available (Pfizer and Moderna) being both very effective against severe forms of Covid-19, including those linked to the Delta variant, they can both be used for the third booster injection . If you received your first doses with a Moderna vaccine, you can receive a 3rd Pfizer dose and vice versa.

Tomorrow, a single combined flu / Covid vaccine?

To further improve logistics, the ideal would be to couple in a single injection, a booster anti-flu and an anti-Covid reminder. Several research teams work there already. Thus Moderna announced via a press release on September 9, Development of a new vaccine candidate combining a vaccine against Covid-19 and a booster vaccine against seasonal influenza. This would save time each year to adapter vaccines to circulating viral strains (variants).

The American company Novavax is also developing a vaccine that would protect against both Covid-19 and influenza. This one has already shown encouraging results.giants in hamsters and ferrets. Human clinical trials are scheduled for the end of the year.

Sources: