2024-10-31 19:01:00
DECRYPTION – Health authorities recommend that vulnerable people get both vaccines at the same time, one in each arm.
The joint vaccination campaign against influenza and Covid started on October 15. This is the second year in a row that Health Insurance has invited more than 17 million people, considered vulnerable, to be vaccinated against these two viruses at the same time. This double vaccination aims to strengthen the vaccination rate of this at-risk population, often elderly, who will not have to travel twice. “And as an English study demonstrated, this concomitant vaccination does not reduce the immune response of either vaccine compared to a separate injection 3 weeks apart,” explains Professor Mathieu Molimard, representative of the French Society of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (SFPT).
But doesn’t being vaccinated with two vaccines at the same time reduce their effectiveness or expose oneself to more adverse effects? “The last time I got the Covid vaccine, I had a fever and was woozy all weekend. I’m a little afraid it will be worse if I also get the flu vaccine at the same time », confides Colette, a dynamic octogenarian. Reacting to a vaccine happens quite frequently. Some vaccinated people will have a slight local reaction at the injection site, which fades after a few hours to two days; or will develop general symptoms that are not serious, such as fever or muscle pain.
Specific immunity
Why this reaction? When a vaccine is administered, the injected product mimics an infectious agent and the immune system identifies it as such. “A whole set of immune cells then get started. The cells presenting the antigen will in particular seek out this element, considered as an intruder, to present it in the lymph nodes to the T lymphocytes, which then initiate the process which will produce specific immunity via antibodies. But these cells not only present the antigen, they will also trigger an entire inflammatory process aimed at stimulating the lymphocyte response. It is this inflammation that can cause redness, a little fever, etc. “, explains Professor Daniel Olive, president of the French Society of Immunology. With a vaccine, this immune stimulation occurs at the time of injection and will stop fairly quickly. Whereas in the case of a bacterial or viral infection, it will persist until the immune system has brought the infection under control.specifies Professor Bruno Lina, head of the virology laboratory department at the Croix Rousse hospital in Lyon.
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With flu and Covid vaccines, “reactogenicity”, as doctors call it, is very variable from one person to another and it is difficult to predict. “On the other hand, we do not double the risk of having a reaction, nor its frequency, nor its intensity,” reassures Bruno Lina.
Experts are also reassuring about the difficulty of attributing more serious but much rarer adverse effects to one or another of the vaccines. “Vaccines against the flu but also against Covid were injected separately into billions of people. We are well aware of the undesirable effects of both,” underlines Mathieu Molimard.
When in doubt
The concomitant administration of these two vaccines therefore appears safe. The only question that remains is that of the relevance of vaccination at the same time for two infections whose rhythm is not identical. Indeed, we know that flu epidemics generally start in December or January and that getting vaccinated in mid-October is a little early. At the same time, the Covid epidemic peaks spread throughout the year, even if the winter peak is present. “We can understand the pragmatic side of doing these two vaccinations at the same time. This year, for example, we had a Covid epidemic as early as September. Which can lead to a lot of misunderstanding on the part of the public, but also doctors, as to who to vaccinate or not”comments Bruno Lina.
When you have had Covid, it is in fact not recommended to be vaccinated within the following four months (three months for the immunocompromised). Logically, a person infected in September must therefore wait until January to be vaccinated. But today, fewer and fewer people are testing themselves. So what to do if in doubt? “There is no danger in getting vaccinated shortly after an infection. On the other hand, the immune response will not be as expected. There will be no increase in antibody levels. Our immune system does not have a brain, it does not know that it is a vaccination that is being offered to it. He sees the infectious agent that he knows appear and as he has enough antibodies and immune cells still available, he will neutralize the vaccine. says Bruno Lina.
On the other hand, insists the specialist, vaccination against influenza must be done, in fragile people, before the next epidemic. To convince the most reluctant, he recalls that the latest studies have shown that influenza vaccination reduces the risk of cardiovascular accidents in people at risk by 25 to 30%. “It is as interesting to get vaccinated as to stop smoking or lower your cholesterol level”, concludes the virologist.
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The article discusses the benefits and considerations of administering the flu and Covid vaccines concurrently, particularly for the elderly, who are at higher risk for both diseases. The main points outlined include:
1. **Concomitant Vaccination**: The simultaneous administration of both vaccines aims to enhance vaccination rates and reduce the need for multiple visits, which can be burdensome for elderly individuals.
2. **Safety and Immune Response**: According to experts, including Professor Mathieu Molimard and Professor Bruno Lina, administering these vaccines together does not diminish the immune response nor significantly increase the likelihood of adverse effects. Studies have shown that the immune response remains effective compared to staggered vaccinations.
3. **Common Reactions**: While receiving vaccinations can lead to common side effects, such as local reactions at the injection site or mild systemic reactions like fever and muscle pain, these effects do not generally double when vaccines are given concurrently.
4. **Specific Immunity**: The immune response to vaccines involves the engagement of various immune cells that recognize the vaccine as an intruder, leading to inflammation and specific immunity development. This process is typically short-lived compared to responses triggered by actual infections.
5. **Timing of Vaccination**: The article emphasizes a consideration regarding the timing of the vaccines since flu seasons typically peak in winter, whereas Covid infections can occur year-round. Experts note that simultaneous vaccination may lead to confusion about optimal timing for each vaccine.
health experts advocate for the concurrent administration of flu and Covid vaccines, especially for the elderly, while also discussing the nuances in timing and potential reactions associated with such practices.
