Flu Shot Might Reduce Coronavirus Infections, Early Research Suggests

[SheltieLover]

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-flu-shot-might-reduce-coronavirus-infections-early-research-suggests/?amp=true

Hospital workers who got vaccinated were significantly less likely to develop COVID than those who did not.

U.S. health officials are urging Americans to get their flu shots this year in the hopes of thwarting a winter “twindemic”—a situation in which both influenza and COVID-19 spread and sicken the public. But a new study suggests that there could be another key reason to get a flu jab this year: it might reduce your risk of COVID-19. The research, released as a preprint that has not yet been peer-reviewed, indicates that a flu vaccine against the influenza virus may also trigger the body to produce broad infection-fighting molecules that combat the pandemic-causing coronavirus.

The paper is in line with some other recent studies published in peer-reviewed journals that point to similar effects. But researchers caution the research is preliminary and needs to be bolstered by more rigorous experiments.

In the new study, Mihai Netea, an infectious disease immunologist at Radboud University Medical Center in the Netherlands, and his colleagues combed through their hospital’s databases to see if employees who got a flu shot during the 2019–2020 season were more or less likely to get infected by SARS-CoV-2, the virus behind COVID-19. Workers who received a flu vaccine, the researchers found, were 39 percent less likely to test positive for the coronavirus as of June 1, 2020. While 2.23 percent of nonvaccinated employees tested positive, only 1.33 percent of vaccinated ones did. Netea and his team posted their findings on the preprint server MedRxiv on October 16.

More at link.

[ananda]

1. Fantastic!

I got my flu shot in September.

[SheltieLover]

2. Good for you!

[SlogginThroughIt]

3. I am surprised SciAm published this

This seems a bit flimsy to me. It requires an actual study not just looking at happenstance and not knowing what the conditions of each persons location are. I dunno this seems like not great science.

[SheltieLover]

5. The article addresses your concerns

While I agree with you, in this circumstance, this info is better than nothing since a full-blown double blind study would be unethical.

This info could potentially convince otherwise hesitant persons to be vaccinated.

[Drahthaardogs]

7. It's a review article and quite common

Researchers do it all the time

[SheltieLover]

12. I agree

No problem here with this type of info.

If it can help & not harm, I onboard.

[safeinOhio]

4. I try to get mine every year.

A couple of years ago, I got mine early and got the flu in late April. It seemed much milder than the others that got it without the shot.

[SheltieLover]

8. Glad it helped you!

I take elderberry daily to protect against flu.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/04/190423133644.htm#:~:text=%22What%20our%20study%20has%20shown,entry%20into%20the%20host%20cells.%22

What our study has shown is that the common elderberry has a potent direct antiviral effect against the flu virus," said Dr Golnoosh Torabian.

"It inhibits the early stages of an infection by blocking key viral proteins responsible for both the viral attachment and entry into the host cells."

I know several people who take this supplement to ward off flu and, thus far, have not gotten ill.

But this article raises new possibilities for warding off covid.

[safeinOhio]

14. I wonder if

Elderberry wine works?

[SheltieLover]

20. Ooooh good thought

Not sure!

I've not seen research on that. You might have to drink a lot of it, though.

I take a very highly concentrated liquid form.

4 grams / day.

[safeinOhio]

21. Here we go....

[area51]

28. Or how about Elton John's song "Elderberry Wine"? :)

[USALiberal]

17. You don't get the flu shot? nt

[Hugin]

6. I had entertained the idea when I was getting the shot this year.

Nice to see some evidence there may be a COVID benefit aside from not catching them both.

[SheltieLover]

10. It is interesting & holds potential for hope

Glad you got your vaccine!

[Hugin]

18. I've got all my shots.

Just check my tags!

[helpisontheway]

9. Hmmm..I'm in a covid group on FB. Many people posted that

they think the flu shot caused them to get Covid. It is probably just a coincidence. 🤷🏽?♀️

[SheltieLover]

11. Dunno

I don't use FB so I am immune from that.

[Iggo]

16. Oh my god!

Biggest laugh of the morning.

Actually got me out of bed. Thank you!

[safeinOhio]

13. Dietary therapy and herbal medicine for COVID-19 prevention: A review and perspective

can't hurt.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32691006/

Abstract

A novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), transmitted from humans to humans, has rapidly become the pandemic responsible for the current global health crisis. COVID-19 is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which is said to be of zoonotic origin. This review describes the etiology and signs and symptoms as well as the current allopathic therapy for COVID-19. Additionally, findings of previous studies on the immunomodulatory effects and antiviral activities of particular foods and herbs on influenza virus and coronaviruses have been collated, with the aim of promoting the use of dietary therapy and herbal medicine as COVID-19 preventive therapies, while specific drugs and vaccines are yet to be discovered or are still under development. The volume of existing reports is irrefutable evidence that foods and herbs possess a potential antiviral ability against SARS-CoV-2 and can prevent COVID-19. Foods and herbs could be used as dietary or complementary therapy to prevent infection and strengthen immunity, as antiviral agents for masks, as disinfectants to curb aerosol transmission, or as sanitizing agents to disinfect surfaces. However, these hypotheses need to be experimentally verified for SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 patients.

[SheltieLover]

15. I also take Vit D & zinc for immune system

Ty for the info! Where covid is concerned, I'm all about prevention!

[safeinOhio]

19. I'm getting a lot of help from

Alpha Lipoic Acid. 600 mg of the natural form.
Fun to read up on it. Really helped my neuropathy, shoulder pain and energy.

[SheltieLover]

22. Thx!

New topic for research!

[helpisontheway]

23. I take vitamin d, zinc and a vitamin c immune booster every single day

If I feel like I’m coming down with something I take elderberry and echinacea. I also drink Yogi Immune System tea if I feel like I’m coming down with something. It tastes good and it works.

[JCMach1]

24. Didn't work for me. Had mine about 12 days before

I caught my bad case...

[SheltieLover]

25. Ty for letting us know.

How are you, JC?

[JCMach1]

26. Slow slow progress, but progress. Still unable to work

1 month out... Breathing, fatigue, and brain fog

[JCMach1]

27. Regardless, take it... Covid is not what it's for anyway!

There are going to be some very unfortunate double infection patients this Winter.