The chairman of the Governor’s Physicians Advisory Group has answered the frequently asked question of whether residents can take their flu vaccinations, while also taking their COVID-19 vaccine.
Dr. Nathaniel Berg, in an interview with NewsTalk K57’s Patti Aroyo said that residents can take both the flu shot and the COVID vaccine safely.
“We’ve had a couple of physicians tell us that patients are coming in and telling them, they were instructed not to get their flu vaccine for a variable amount, 10-14 days after they had their COVID vaccine or even the booster. There was a suggestion that you separate them. But that has not been true for quite some time. We want to encourage people to not forget to get their regular flu vaccine also. There’s no need to space them out,” Berg said.
Dr. Berg references other major advisory bodies, along with the CDC, that reversed the early recommendation of spacing the flu shot and the COVID vaccine and says that there is no need to wait.
He also said that the previous decision to make individuals who were infected with COVID wait 90 days, was also reversed.
“The CDC and all the major advisory bodies are now saying that there is no need to wait. Also, people who had COVID infections were previously told to wait 90 days. That also was reversed, when they saw that there were no reactions to that. Although we know people are building their natural defense against it, we still think its best to get a vaccine on top of that,” the doctor said.
However, Berg said that for those who have received the monoclonal antibody treatment, an exception will have to be made.
“The only exception, and this is the one where we have to be really careful, is if you’ve gotten the monoclonal antibodies, which is not too many people in the community. Those people will be instructed at that time to wait. I don’t wanna confuse the issue, only those who have been given the treatment should wait. Everyone else can get the flu vaccine and the COVID vaccine at the same time,” the doctor said.
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