How does the flu vaccine help protect against corona?

Flu is a common illness during the fall and winter seasons. Often it is considered a minor disease, but in some cases its severity may reach death.

The influenza vaccine helps prevent infection, but will the importance of this vaccine increase with the spread of Corona infection this winter?

Exposed groups

The German Robert Koch Institute confirmed that the groups at risk of contracting influenza are the same groups at high risk of contracting the emerging Covid-19 virus to a large extent, and they are: the elderly over 60 years old and patients, who suffer from chronic diseases such as diabetes or HIV or asthma.

Influenza vaccination is also recommended for medical staff in hospitals, nursing homes, facilities for the elderly, in the health sector, and for pregnant women and caregivers of high-risk patients.

With the spread of Corona infection, doctors consider it especially important to vaccinate many doctors and even ordinary people against influenza this year.

And infectious disease scientist Bernd Zalsberger indicated that it is advisable to prevent colds and the like this winter, which at least protects against going to the hospital and infection.

Children and youth

As for vaccinating children against influenza in light of the Corona epidemic, the German virologist Ulrike Brützer says that if children and young people are also vaccinated against influenza, this may help reduce the burden on the health system, and not cause them to transmit infection to those who are older at home, such as parents and grandparents.

General recommendation

The general recommendation is to get the vaccination from the end of October to the beginning of November every year. The reason for this is that the optimal preventive effect begins about two weeks after the injection and slowly decreases after three months, which is the time when the flu waves begin to spread, that is, the activity of influenza viruses increases.

But what protection does vaccination offer?

This protection varies and its amount, but it certainly does not fully protect, the protection may reach 80%, however protection may be bad when the correct state of viruses is not expected, which will spread in the next season.

Means of prevention

In the end, doctors warn that what prevents corona infection is the same as what protects against colds and regular flu, as the preventive measures are to wash hands with soap and water regularly, wear a mask, and follow a healthy lifestyle based on exercise, a proper diet, and ventilation of homes and closed places. And spacing with adequate safety distances.