Getting your COVID-19 and flu shots together? It's safe, study confirms. A large study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that receiving COVID-19 and influenza vaccines on the same day does not raise the risk of adverse events compared to getting the flu shot alone. Researchers analyzed data from over 2.5 million older adults and found no meaningful differences in serious, clinically significant, or mild adverse outcomes.
Getting your COVID-19 and flu shots together? It's safe, study confirms
A large new study has good news for anyone who's wondered whether doubling up on vaccines is a smart idea. Researchers from the VA St. Louis Health Care System found that getting COVID-19 and influenza vaccines on the same day poses no greater risk of adverse events than receiving the flu shot alone — offering reassurance for both patients and clinicians.
The study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, used a target trial emulation design to compare 90-day adverse event risks across more than 2.5 million older adults. Participants either received both vaccines simultaneously or the flu vaccine alone between September 2022 and August 2025. Across all three tiers of severity — serious, clinically significant, and mild — no meaningful differences were found between the two groups.
By the Numbers
Why it matters: With flu season and COVID-19 booster campaigns often overlapping, same-day vaccination is a practical convenience. This study supports its safety in older adults and could help shape vaccine policy and individual risk-benefit conversations going forward.
