The World Health Organization (WHO) advisory expert group considers the simultaneous administration of influenza and covid-19 vaccines "acceptable".
"Limited data on co-administration of inactivated vaccines (produced from inactivated virus) against seasonal influenza with covid-19 did not show an increase in adverse events", indicate the recommendations of the Strategic Expert Advisory Group (SAGE) in WHO immunizations released this Tuesday, 11 October, which do not yet constitute WHO guidance on the co-administration of vaccines.
According to the advisory group's opinion, taking into account that the priority age group to receive the seasonal flu vaccine is also considered at risk for more severe covid-19 situations, the co-administration of the two vaccines "is acceptable" and will allow to immunize a greater number of people against both diseases.,
On Friday, the Director-General of Health announced that she plans to combine flu vaccination and the administration of the third dose against covid-19, to simplify the two processes, a possibility that was awaiting WHO guidance.
"It would be great for people, because it is much more comfortable to go and vaccinate themselves once with two inoculations and it is also much easier for our nurses, for our logistics and for our services", explained Graça Freitas, at a conference in press.
The goal is that people who are called for booster vaccination against covid-19, and who are also eligible to receive the flu vaccine, can be inoculated with both at the same time.
Elderly people over 80 years old and users of homes and long-term care units who took the flu vaccine for more than 14 days began to receive yesterday, 11 October, the third dose of the vaccine against covid-19.
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