Doctors advise COVID-19 booster and flu shot to avoid "twindemic"

Fears of a "twindemic" this fall are leading doctors to advise people to get the flu shot at the same time as their COVID-19 boosters.

What they're saying: "It is OK to give the COVID vaccine and the flu vaccine at the same time," Rachel Herlihy, the state's lead epidemiologist, tells Axios.

Why it matters: UC Health is warning that an increase in COVID-19 cases could overlap with high numbers of influenza infections, threatening hospital capacity.

• With fewer people social distancing and wearing masks, the rate of transmission is expected to jump.
• "The truth is, we're due for a flu pandemic. We have flu pandemics, on average, about every 10 years, so we are overdue," Michelle Barron, the hospital's senior medical director of infection prevention and control, said in a statement.

Flashback: In 2020, precautionary coronavirus measures helped lead to a historically low number of flu cases and hospitalizations.

What to watch: State public health officials say it's too soon to know how this year's flu season — which typically starts in late fall — will impact Colorado.