In a new study from the University of Miami, researchers found the flu vaccine may provide vital protection against COVID-19.
They analyzed patient data from around the world and strongly suggest that the annual flu shot reduces the risk of stroke, sepsis and DVT in patients with COVID-19.
Patients with COVID-19 who had been vaccinated against flu were also less likely to visit the emergency department and be admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU).
Immunizing the world against COVID-19 is a daunting challenge and, although production and distribution of vaccines increase daily, some countries are not expected to vaccinate large numbers of their population until the start of 2023.
Recently, several modestly-sized studies suggested that the flu vaccine may provide protection against COVID-19—meaning it could be a valuable weapon in the fight to halt the pandemic.
In the study, the team screened de-identified electronic health records of more than 70 million patients to identify two groups of 37,377 patients.
The two groups were matched for factors that could affect their risk of severe COVID-19.
Members of the first group had received the flu vaccine between two weeks and six months before being diagnosed with COVID-19. Those in the second group also had COVID-19 but were not vaccinated against flu.
The team found that those who had not had the flu jab were significantly more likely (up to 20% more likely) to have been admitted to ICU.
They were also much more likely to visit the Emergency Department (up to 58% more likely), to develop sepsis (up to 45% more likely), to have a stroke (up to 58% more likely) and a DVT (up to 40% more likely).
It isn’t known exactly how the flu jab provides protection against COVID-19 but most theories center around it boosting the innate immune system.
The authors say their results strongly suggest that the flu vaccine protects against several severe effects of COVID-19.
They add that more research is needed to prove and better understand the possible link but, in the future, the flu shot could be used to help provide increased protection in countries where the COVID-19 vaccine is in short supply.
If you care about COVID, please read studies about this common habit linked to severe COVID-19 and death and findings of this antiviral drug could effectively stop spread and damage of COVID-19.
For more information about COVID and your health, please see recent studies about this drug can fully prevent symptomatic COVID-19 infections and results showing that 2 in 3 COVID-19 hospitalizations are caused by these 4 health problems.
The study was presented at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID). One author of the study is Ms Susan Taghioff.
Copyright © 2021 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
