FORT MYERS, Fla. — Greg Baldia says he’s never gotten a flu shot before.
“I never felt it necessary,” Baldia told NBC2. “I’m not one that gets the flu very often.”
But Baldia did catch COVID-19. It was a bad experience, he recalled.
“I felt like an elephant was sitting on top of me,” Baldia said. “Breathing was hard. Couldn’t control my body temperature. I was hot and cold, and then hot and cold at the same time — and nobody likes that.”
But now, new research reveals that whether or not a COVID-19 patient suffered severe health impacts may have had to do with whether or not they’d gotten a flu shot before the diagnosis.
Dr. Devinder Singh and a team of experts from the University of Miami recently analyzed anonymous medical records of tens of thousands of COVID-19 patients. Half of them had gotten a flu shot before contracting COVID, while the other half had not.
“In the group that had the COVID diagnosis with a preceding flu vaccine — they actually ended up having less severe symptoms,” Singh told NBC2.
“What we found was less risk of stroke, sepsis, DVT and, interestingly, less chance of coming to the emergency department and less chance of being admitted to the intensive care unit,” he continued.
Of course, the flu shot is not a replacement for the COVID vaccine. Dr. Singh recommended people get both if they can.
But the study is encouraging for places in the world where the COVID vaccine may not be accessible, but the flu shot is.
As for people who’ve already gotten a Coronavirus vaccine: could a flu shot this fall give you even more protection against COVID-19?
Singh said it’s possible.
“This research does open the door to asking that question,” he said.
In light of the research, Baldia is now considering the flu vaccine for the very first time.
“I would consider it if it’s something that could protect my 70+ year old mother,” Baldia said.
It’s not clear what will be available first: COVID-19 booster shots or flu shots.
The CDC says distribution of flu shots typically begins at some point this month.