The paper, “COVID-19 and influenza vaccine co-administration among older U.S. adults,” analyzed a national sample of U.S. Medicare beneficiaries to assess the timing and location of vaccine administration and to explore the demographic, social and health factors that may influence the likelihood of an individual receiving concurrent vaccines.
“We had the very unique opportunity to study COVID-19 and influenza vaccine uptake in millions of Medicare beneficiaries over time,” Harris said. “I was personally surprised by the lower rate of vaccine coadministration in the U.S. and quite concerned by clear disparities in vaccine access among Black, Native American and Hispanic Medicare beneficiaries.”
Despite initial reluctance in certain regions due to concerns about safety and efficacy, the majority of public health authorities now endorse the coadministration of COVID-19 and flu vaccines, supported by positive results from clinical trials.
“There are several logistical, clinical, and public health benefits to the coadministration of vaccines,” the authors write. “Vaccine coadministration results in fewer health care visits and is more cost effective. Pairing vaccines also reduces the time to receive protection against co-circulating viruses, as opposed to waiting for multiple visits (where attrition may also occur).” Receiving COVID-19 and flu shots together, they go on to say, “is a natural public health strategy to improve convenience and uptake.”
By the Numbers
The study acknowledges an encouraging increase in the number of older adults getting COVID-19 and flu vaccines simultaneously. However, it also reveals variation in vaccination rates influenced by geography, health status, and race and ethnicity.
The coadministration of COVID-19 and flu vaccines increased over two flu seasons—from 11.1% in 2021 to 36.5% in 2022—but varied across different regions. People in rural areas and those with Alzheimer’s and related dementias were more likely to get concurrent vaccinations. In contrast, patients with cancer or immune disorders were less likely to receive both vaccinations during the same visit; they were, however, more likely to receive a flu vaccine than other patient groups, but received their shots on different days.
The study also highlights the differences in flu vaccination rates among people of different races, ethnicities and living areas, confirming what previous research has also shown. For instance, during one study period, only about 10% of vaccinated white people hadn’t gotten the flu shot, compared to around 21% of Black people, 16% of Hispanic people, and 17% of Native Americans. The researchers note that while Native Americans were less likely to get a flu shot compared to white people, they were more likely to get it at the same time as another vaccine, possibly because they often live in more rural areas or because of tailored public health messages encouraging simultaneous vaccinations.
