According to an American study, people who have received the seasonal flu vaccine are less likely to be infected with the virus and to develop a severe form.
- People vaccinated against influenza seem better protected against Covid-19
- They are less likely to be infected and develop fewer severe forms
Getting vaccinated against seasonal flu is not mandatory in France. The injection is recommended for the most fragile, such as the elderly, those suffering from chronic illnesses or pregnant women. This vaccine could now have a double utility: a study from the University of Michigan points to a correlation between vaccination against seasonal flu and the risk of contracting Covid-19. In American Journal of Infection Controlits authors note that vaccinated people have less risk of contracting the virus, but also of developing a serious form in the event that they are contaminated.
Less contamination
In total, the researchers analyzed the medical records of 27,000 people tested for Covid-19 between March and July 2020. Among them, 13,000 had received the seasonal flu vaccine between August 2019 and July 2020: only 4% of these people have tested positive. In the group of non-vaccinated people, 5% of those tested were positive for Covid-19. According to the lead author of the study, Marion Hofmann Bowman, the difference between the two groups remained significant when all the criteria were taken into account: body mass index, tobacco consumption, gender, age, etc She adds that people vaccinated against influenza and positive for Covid-19 had less risk of being hospitalized, compared to unvaccinated individuals. However, the mortality rate was not significantly different between the two groups.
What is the cause of this correlation?
This study only finds a correlation between the seasonal flu vaccine and the risk of contracting Covid-19: it is not a cause and effect link. “The underlying mechanisms are not yet clear“, confides Dr. Hofmann.”It is possible that patients who received the flu vaccine are also people who are more respectful of social distancing and CDC recommendations. (for Center for Disease Controlthe American organization which provides the guidelines to follow to limit the spread of the editor’s note virus), she continues. Nevertheless, it is also possible that there is a direct biological effect of the influenza vaccine on the immune system, useful to fight against SARS-CoV-2.She clarified that studies are underway to investigate the effects of the seasonal flu vaccine on respiratory disease.
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