The vaccination should be repeated annually as seasonal flu viruses mutate from one year to the next and the vaccine is adapted every year. Flu vaccination can be given at the same time as, before or after a Covid 19 vaccination.

The flu vaccination period lasts until the flu epidemic begins. Even if you are vaccinated in December, there is still enough time for the body's own immune system to build up protection. In Switzerland, the flu epidemic does not usually start before the end of December, usually in January.

The vaccine only offers protection against the influenza virus, and not from the novel coronavirus and all the other germs circulating throughout the winter months that cause coughs and colds. It is still possible for a vaccinated person to catch flu. In such cases, the symptoms are usually less severe and the risk of complications is also lower.

The flu vaccination may be less effective in older people than in younger ones. This is also true of people with immune deficiency or with certain chronic diseases. It is precisely these groups who need to be protected from flu complications. This is why it's important that anyone who is in close contact with these people gets vaccinated and follows the hygiene rules.