Denmark gives first European patient combined flu and Covid vaccine

A new combined influenza and Covid-19 vaccine was given to a Danish person over 65 at Gentofte Hospital for the first time in Europe, DR reports.

The trial will test whether one injection is as effective as, or potentially more effective than, the two separate shots now used to prevent hospitalisations from influenza and Covid-19, said Tor Biering-Sørensen, professor and senior physician at Herlev-Gentofte Hospital, who is leading the study.

More than 300,000 people in Denmark are expected to take part over the next two years. The first invitations went to people over 65 in September, and 165,000 have already agreed to participate. Half of the participants will receive the combined vaccine in one shot; the other half will get two separate shots.

Biering-Sørensen said the vaccines had been approved and extensively tested, but the study will assess whether the combined vaccine prevents hospitalisations as effectively as the current approach.