With flu season underway, you might wonder if it’s OK to get the flu shot and COVID-19 vaccine at the same time.
The short answer: Yes.
The flu shot and COVID-19 vaccine, including the booster dose or third dose, can be administered during the same visit. Receiving them at the same time is safe and will not impact the  effectiveness of either vaccine.
“With colder weather approaching, people are more likely to be in close contact with each other, so it’s very important to be vaccinated against both the flu and COVID-19,” says Tidelands Health family medicine physician Dr. William Jackson Epperson, medical director of primary care for Tidelands Health. “Getting vaccinated will help protect you and your family and can help limit the spread of both illnesses.”

Although it may be convenient to get the flu shot and COVID-19 vaccine at the same time, Dr. Epperson says, don’t delay receiving either one just so you can get them together.
For example, if you are unvaccinated against COVID-19, it’s important to receive the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible rather than wait until you will can get the flu shot. Likewise, get your flu vaccine as soon as possible, even if that means you won’t get it at the same time as the COVID-19 vaccine.
“If the timing works out that people can receive the flu shot and the COVID-19 vaccine at the same time, that is an ideal situation that will hopefully lead to more people getting both vaccines,” says Dr. Epperson, who practices at Tidelands Health Family Medicine at Prince Creek. “Otherwise, people should proceed to get the vaccines separately.”
With few exceptions, everyone ages 6 months and older should receive a flu shot, preferably by the end of October, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
For information about eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine, including third doses and booster shots, please click here.