The flu vaccine does not produce specific immunity against COVID-19

The flu vaccine does not produce specific immunity against COVID-19

The flu vaccine does not produce specific immunity against COVID-19. However, like any vaccine, it could strengthen non-specific immune responses against other pathogens, experts said in a paper released Tuesday by the National Health Assessment and Accreditation Authority (INEAS) on influenza vaccination in the specific context of the pandemic. COVID-19: interest and priority populations.

According to the same document, a potential co-infection could worsen their prognosis as well as the risk of amplifying the number of cases of acute respiratory diseases that would put great pressure on the health system.

In addition to reducing flu-attributable mortality and morbidity, influenza vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic would minimize the negative impact of the flu and the pressure on the human body, according to experts. health system already overloaded by the health crisis and to optimize the consumption of resources.

In view of the pandemic context and given the limited amount of vaccines available, all priority groups for influenza vaccination previously defined outside the pandemic context are still relevant with a shift in the order of priorities.

Therefore, according to the priority described by the World Health Organization (WHO), healthcare workers would be among the groups with the highest priority in addition to people over the age of 65, especially those with different comorbidities (diabetes, hypertension, asthma and other chronic heart or lung diseases, etc.) followed by those with a single comorbidity. Other risk groups in no particular order are pregnant women, people with chronic diseases, and the pediatric population.

According to data from the National Institute of Public Health (INSP), influenza and pneumonia attributable to it are responsible for 2.4% (666 deaths) of all deaths registered in our country in 2017 against 2% in 2013 .

Additionally, flu vaccination in people with COVID-19 upon discharge from the hospital could increase vaccination coverage in people at high risk of flu complications. However, experts point out that there are no data to date on the safety, immunogenicity, or efficacy of flu vaccines in people with COVID-19 to determine the optimal time for flu vaccination. especially in those with a severe or critical form that required short-acting anti-inflammatory therapy (e.g. dexamethasone) or long-acting immunomodulators.

Doctors should consider delaying influenza vaccination of patients with (or suspected) COVID-19 until recovery to reduce the risk of transmission to vaccinators. If flu vaccination is delayed in these people, patients should be reminded to return for the flu shot after recovering from their acute illness, the document says.

Furthermore, the experts stress that it is essential to ensure the necessary logistics to maintain barrier measures against the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and to ensure easy and safe access to the vaccine for vulnerable people.

TAP