MDS Alert

Questions: I’ve heard there has been some research that folks who receive the pneumonia vaccine and flu vaccine at the same time have less of an immune response. Should we aim for different days when providing these vaccinations?

South Carolina Subscriber

Answer: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that healthcare professionals can vaccinate adults with both the trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (TIV) and the pneumonia vaccines — pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) or pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) — but suggests using different syringes and, if possible, separate injection sites.

While giving the vaccinations on the same day may indeed reduce the immune response, the CDC says that providers shouldn’t hesitate to give the vaccines concurrently.

“A randomized double-blind trial with adults 65 years or older found that concomitant administration of PCV13 and TIV produced a reduced immune response for some pneumococcal serotypes and one influenza subtype (influenza A [H3N2]) compared to individuals who received PCV13 alone or TIV alone. However, studies demonstrate concomitant administration of PCV13 and TIV is immunogenic and safe. You can administer PCV13 during the same visit with TIV in an adult immunization program,” the CDC says.