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Influenza vaccine can be used to prevent coronavirus complications
Last reviewed: 02.07.2025
A vaccine that protects against seasonal flu can protect a person from dangerous complications of COVID-19. This was stated by scientists during the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infections.
Universal anti-coronavirus immunization of the population still remains one of the world's pressing problems. Most countries are expected to approach relatively stable vaccination in their territory only by 2023. Meanwhile, a number of consistent studies indicate that the regular flu vaccine can provide relative protection against covid complications and contribute to the fight against the spread of the infection.
Representatives of the Miller College of Medicine at the University of Miami in the United States analyzed information on several tens of thousands of patients in American, British, German, Italian, Israeli and Singaporean clinics. The study participants were at risk for developing a severe course of coronavirus infection. The main risk factors were age, bad habits and other health problems (diabetes, obesity, chronic respiratory diseases, etc.).
The participants were divided into two groups. The first group was vaccinated with an anti-flu drug approximately ½-6 months before they fell ill with coronavirus infection. The second group of participants also fell ill with COVID-19, but were not previously vaccinated against influenza. Specialists studied the frequency of complications of the disease. Thus, complex courses of infection with septic complications, cerebrovascular accidents, venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, acute respiratory failure, distress syndrome, arthralgia, renal failure, pneumonia, etc. were considered. Cases of patient placement in intensive care units or infectious inpatient departments, as well as deaths within 4 months after a positive test for the coronavirus infection pathogen were also taken into account.
The study demonstrated the following results: participants who did not receive the flu vaccine were 20% more likely to be treated in intensive care units. They also more often developed septic complications (up to 45%), cerebrovascular accidents (up to 58%), and venous thrombosis (up to 40%).
Scientists cannot yet say exactly how the flu vaccine minimizes the degree of complications from coronavirus infection. According to one theory, after vaccination, the innate immune defense is activated, which is not specific and can resist even a pathogen such as SARS-CoV-2. It is quite possible that the results of this study can be used to ensure the protection of citizens of those countries that are not yet able to purchase anti-coronavirus vaccines in the required quantities.
Information is presented on the pages of the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases