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A hot new bombshell has entered the villa: the bivalent Covid booster. And this season, it’s coupling up with the flu shot. At least two major pharmacies—Rite Aid and Walgreens—are seeing a large number of customers opting to get both vaccines at once.
In its latest earnings call, Rite Aid executives said that 40% of people who came to their pharmacies to get a bivalent Covid booster opted to add on a flu shot.
Competitor Walgreens said it’s seeing co-administration rates vary at stores across the country—between 24% and 42% depending on location—and that customers have a higher-than-normal willingness to get dual shots.
CVS declined to give any specific numbers, but spokesperson Matt Blanchette said via email that the pharmacy chain is encouraging customers to get the shots together and that “many opt to get both.”
If you’re worried that two vaccines means double the side effects, Chris Altman, Rite Aid’s director of immunization and clinical programs, said the company isn’t seeing many people report additional symptoms.
“It is entirely safe to be vaccinated both [for] Covid and flu at the same time,” said Kevin Ban, chief medical officer for Walgreens.
But, Ban mentioned that the CDC has warned of a slight increase in side effects, such as redness and swelling at the injection site, fatigue, headache, and muscle pain. All are treatable with over-the-counter medications and resolve quickly, he said.