The promise and challenges of dual vaccination

Four years out from the onset of the COVID-19 epidemic, a new study explores the extent to which COVID-19 and influenza vaccines are being distributed and employed simultaneously, particularly among high-risk populations. COVID-19 and influenza can be particularly dangerous for older adults, causing high rates of hospitalization and mortality. In the U.S., hospitalized veterans aged 65 and older face a 30-day mortality risk of 6.4% for COVID-19 and 3.7% for influenza—significantly higher than younger populations. Recent research highlights the efficacy of vaccines in preventing these diseases or lessening their severity, with vaccination efforts averting thousands of flu-related and millions of COVID-19-related hospitalizations nationwide. In this context, a new study conducted by Daniel Harris, senior research scientist, and Vincent Mor, professor of health services policy and practice and the Florence Pierce Grant University Professor at Brown University, explores the adoption and variability of simultaneous COVID-19 and flu vaccinations. Supported by an IMPACT grant...