Flu jabs may protect against severe Covid effects, suggests study

Says those without flu vaccination were 58 per cent more likely to visit emergency

WASHINGTON:

People who have received vaccination against influenza may be partially protected against severe Covid effects and would less likely need emergency care for the same, a recent large-scale study suggests.

The analysis comprised 75,000 Covid patients from around the world, the Times of India reported.

The research was carried out on subjects from the US, UK, Singapore, Germany, Israel and Italy.

It suggested a flu shot received annually could reduce the risk of stroke, sepsis, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in Covid patients.

The study further said that the patients were also less likely to visit the emergency or be required to be admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU).

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The researchers used de-identified electronic health records of some 70 million patients, identifying two cohorts of 37,377 patients.

Subsequently, the incidence of 15 severe outcomes within 120 days of a Covid-positive test was then compared between the two groups.

The researchers found that those who hadn’t received flu vaccination were up to 20 per cent more likely to be admitted to an ICU, 58 per cent more likely to visit the emergency, 45 per cent more likely to develop sepsis, 58 per cent more likely to suffer a stroke, and 40 per cent more likely to get DVT.

The risk of death due to Covid, however, wasn’t reduced, the study concluded.