According to the data, the researchers report that getting the flu vaccine reduced the chances of testing positive for COVID-19 than those who did not receive the flu shot by 24% (Duhnam, 2021). The study found that flu-vaccinated residents are less likely to need hospitalization or mechanical ventilation and have shorter hospital stays; however, vaccination had no effect on mortality rates and in the use of intensive care (as cited in Duhnam, 2021). These results may affect the future use of the vaccine, as the data obtained may play a prominent role during future outbreaks of the virus. The researchers suggest that the flu vaccine may also have a protective effect against the new coronavirus through a process called “trained immunity” (as cited in Duhnam, 2021). The same happens in the fall when people get vaccinated against the flu or another disease, and the incidence rate decreases. Dr. Kozak called it an ‘interesting hypothesis’; he said that the data to make such a conclusion is not available in this particular study (as cited in Duhnam, 2021). However, Dr. Michael Silverman suggested that the lower rate of severe outcomes among people vaccinated against influenza is socioeconomic (as cited in Duhnam, 2021). This can be explained by the fact that residents who are vaccinated against the flu are more likely to monitor their health and worry about the consequences of their behavior for other people. Kozak also stressed the importance of obtaining a vaccine against COVID-19 and agreed that further studies of the flu vaccine are needed (as cited in Duhnam, 2021). To summarize, the study shows a decrease in some incidence rates when using the flu vaccine, but this does not prove the flu vaccine’s effectiveness against COVID-19.
References
Duhnam J. (2021). COVID-19 protection from the flu shot? Experts wary about new study. CTVNews. Web.