Influenza vaccination protects against some of the serious effects of COVID-19, including ICU admission, sepsis, and stroke.

Influenza vaccines may provide significant protection against COVID-19, a new study presented online at the European Conference on Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) this year concludes.

Analysis of patient data from around the world Annual influenza vaccination Reduces the risk of stroke, sepsis and DVT in COVID-19 patients. COVID-19 patients vaccinated against influenza Emergency department You will be admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Global vaccination against COVID-19 is a daunting task, with vaccine production and distribution increasing daily, but some countries are expected to vaccinate large populations until early 2023. Is not …

Recently, some moderately sized studies have found that influenza vaccine May provide protection against COVID-19. In short, it can be a valuable weapon in the battle to stop a pandemic.

Susan Tagiof and colleagues at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in Miami, USA, have retroactively analyzed and detailed data from tens of thousands of patients worldwide.

In the largest study of its kind, the team screened for anonymized ones. Electronic health record A TriNetX study database of over 70 million patients was held to identify two groups of 37,377 patients.

The two groups were matched for factors that could affect the risk of severe COVID-19, such as age, gender, ethnicity, smoking, diabetes, obesity and other health problems. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease..

Members of the first group had been vaccinated against influenza for 2 weeks to 6 months before being diagnosed with COVID-19. The second group of people were also infected with COVID-19 but were not vaccinated against the flu. This study was conducted using patients from countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Israel and Singapore.

15 adverse outcomes (sepsis; stroke; deep vein thrombosis or DVT; pulmonary embolism; Acute respiratory failure; Acute respiratory distress syndromeJoint pain or joint pain; renal failure; loss of appetite; heart attack; pneumonia; emergency department visit; hospitalization; ICU admission; then compared between the two groups within 120 days of COVID-19 positive testing It was.

The analysis found that people who were not vaccinated against the flu were significantly more likely to be hospitalized in the ICU (up to 20% more likely).

They are also significantly more likely to visit the emergency department (up to 58% more likely), develop sepsis (up to 45% more likely), and have a higher chance of stroke (up to 45%). Up to 58% likely), DVT (up to 40% likely). The risk of death did not decrease.

It is not known exactly how influenza jabs provide protection against COVID-19, but most theories focus on strengthening the innate immune system.

The authors of the study say their results strongly suggest that influenza vaccines protect against some serious effects of COVID-19. They add that further research is needed to prove and better understand the potential association, but in the future, influenza vaccination will lack the COVID-19 vaccine. It may help strengthen protection in your country.

Dr. Devinder Singh, lead author of the study and professor of plastic surgery at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, said: The devastation caused by the pandemic, Global community You need to find a solution to reduce morbidity and mortality.

“Accessing real-time data from millions of patients is a powerful research tool. As well as asking important questions, my team Influenza vaccine It reduces the prevalence of COVID-19 patients.

“This finding is especially important because pandemics are squeezing resources in many parts of the world. Therefore, our study is a global disease burden if validated by prospective randomized clinical trials. May be mitigated. “

Tagioff adds: “Influenza vaccination may also benefit individuals who are hesitant to get the COVID-19 vaccine because of the new technology.

“Nevertheless, the flu vaccine is by no means a substitute for the COVID-19 vaccine. If possible, we recommend that everyone be vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine.

“Continuous promotion of the flu vaccine may also help people around the world avoid the” cold “that can be a co-occurrence of both the flu and the coronavirus.

“Regardless of the degree of protection provided by Influenza vaccine Saving global health resources by controlling the number of influenza cases against the adverse consequences associated with COVID-19 is sufficient to support ongoing efforts to promote influenza vaccination. The reason is. ”

Courtesy of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases