A large new study confirms that getting your COVID-19 and flu vaccines on the same day doesn't raise your risk of serious side effects. Researchers analyzed data from over 700,000 veterans and found no increased risk of cardiovascular, thrombotic, or neurological events. The findings apply to the newer, updated COVID-19 vaccine formulations most people are receiving today.
Worried about doubling up on vaccines? A new study published in Annals of Internal Medicine offers reassurance: getting your COVID-19 and flu shots at the same visit is safe. Researchers from Washington University in St. Louis analyzed data from more than 700,000 U.S. veterans who received same-day coadministration of an updated COVID-19 vaccine and a seasonal flu shot, comparing outcomes to over 1.8 million people who only got the flu vaccine.
Over a 90-day follow-up period, the study found no increased risk across 46 individual adverse events — including cardiovascular, thrombotic, neurological, and immune-mediated conditions. Crucially, this research focused on newer vaccine formulations (bivalent, XBB-adapted, and KP-adapted), filling a gap left by earlier pandemic-era safety data.
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Why it matters: As annual COVID-19 boosters become routine, patients and providers need confidence that combining shots is safe. This large, real-world study delivers that reassurance — especially for older adults and those with chronic conditions who stand to benefit most from staying up to date on both vaccines.
