If you’re thinking of skipping your yearly routine flu jab in 2021 in anticipation of getting the COVID-19 vaccine instead, Chinese scientists have discovered new information that will make you think twice.

A new paper in the journal, Cell Research, published by scientists in the Hubei province in China recently, shows that the influenza A virus can aggravate Covid-19 infection.

Cell and animal tests conducted by the group of researchers provides strong experimental evidence concerning the co-infection of the two respiratory viruses.

The paper reported for the first time that the influenza A virus can enhance subsequent Covid-19 infection in cells and mice.

Along with this information, it also showed that the existing infection of the influenza A virus significantly promoted the entry and replication of the novel coronavirus in a variety of human respiratory tract cells and lung tissue cells, while it also elevated the Covid-19 viral load, leading to more severe lung damage in co-infected mice.

While experts had previously warned that the seasonal flu merging with the current Covid-19 pandemic may pose a larger threat to public health, the interaction between influenza viruses and the novel coronavirus remained unclear till this paper was published.

So if you haven’t yet gotten your yearly seasonal influenza vaccination done, you should make an appointment to get it as soon as possible in order to protect yourself and your loved ones in the time of the pandemic.

The easiest way to book an appointment for a flu jab in clinic is online. You can also e-mail mparam@clarihealth.com for more information or give us a call at 87544101 to book via phone.