With flu season underway, health officials say you do not need two separate trips — the flu shot and the updated COVID shot can be given at the same visit.
The flu shot question that comes up every October now has a simple, well-sourced answer: yes, the flu shot and the updated COVID-19 vaccine can be given during the same visit. Healthline, which flagged the pairing as a top story in its Oct. 27 health news roundup, reports that it is safe and effective to get both shots during the same visit, and that if you prefer to space them out, there is no specific waiting time required between the two.
Johns Hopkins Medicine’s 2026–27 vaccine guidance says the same thing in nearly the same words: most people can safely get the flu and COVID-19 vaccines during the same visit, and if both are given, they may be placed in different arms. Hopkins also notes that the temporary side effects after getting both together — soreness at the injection site, fatigue, headache and muscle aches — are generally similar to those seen when the vaccines are given separately. Healthline likewise describes the possible reactions as mild to moderate, such as soreness at the injection site and muscle aches.
Timing is the other half of the story. The Association of American Medical Colleges’ guide to fall vaccines reports that experts consider October prime time for getting vaccinated, because it takes a couple of weeks for the body to build its maximum immune response after a shot — and that a vaccine received later is still worthwhile, since protection extends into the spring months. In other words, the end of October is not too late; by expert accounts, it is close to the target.
A few plain facts help cut through the confusion that still surrounds the pairing. The flu vaccine protects against flu viruses only; it does not protect against the virus that causes COVID-19, and the COVID shot does not protect against the flu, per Healthline. They are two different vaccines for two different respiratory illnesses, which is precisely why health experts recommend both each year for most people. A combined two-in-one shot is not currently available, though Healthline reports researchers are testing one.
Eligibility details can vary by age and health condition, and guidance on who should get which shot has been updated for the 2026–27 season, per Johns Hopkins. This article is general information only, not medical advice: readers with questions about their own situation — including pregnancy, immune conditions or past reactions — should talk with their own doctor or pharmacist, who can apply the current guidance to their case.
What the sources agree on is the practical bottom line for a busy fall: one appointment can cover both shots, the expected side effects are about the same as getting them separately, and October is the month the experts point to.
The 247 Take — The two-trip errand was always the easiest excuse to skip one of the shots; with flu season already underway, the one-visit option removes the excuse and leaves only the decision — and that decision belongs with you and your clinician.
Sources: Healthline, Johns Hopkins Medicine, AAMC
