Study Suggests Those Who Got Flu Shot Were Less Likely To Get COVID-19
BOSTN (CBS) - There's another good reason to get an annual flu vaccine. A new study found that people who got a flu shot last season were less likely to get COVID-19 at the beginning of the pandemic.
Researchers at the University of Michigan looked at data on more than 27,000 patients who were tested for COVID-19 between March and July of 2020.
They found that those who had received a flu shot were more than 20% less likely to test positive for COVID-19. They were also less likely to require hospitalization.
It's not clear why.
Researchers say perhaps people who get flu vaccines are more likely to follow CDC pandemic guidelines, but they say it's also possible the flu vaccine could have a direct effect on the immune system's response to the coronavirus.