Value of Influenza Vaccines in Cancer Patients during the Coronavirus
(COVID-19) Pandemic
Abstract
Background & aims: According to the recommendation of the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), getting Influenza Vaccines during
the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemics is especially important for people
with certain underlying medical conditions, like cancer. Due to the
similarities between the symptoms of influenza and Covid-19, receiving
the flu vaccine in suspicious cases can be helpful because it will make
it easier to request a medical test and diagnosis. In this
cross-sectional descriptive study, the value of influenza vaccination in
the cancer population was investigated. Subjects and Methods: All cancer
patients who were referred to our clinic and had eligibility to receive
the flu vaccine were included in our study for following up clinical
signs every week for one month. All patients who were vaccinated from
October 1 to 15, 2020, were investigated. The most side effects that
were followed were fever, runny nose, bone pain, life-threatening, or
persistent adverse effects. Results: From a total of 289 patients
[median age: 52 years (range 18-79), 112 (38.9 %) males and 176
(61.1%) female] with different types of cancers, only two patients
had an adverse effect of vaccination (including bone pain, runny nose,
and fatigue), and one had Covid-19 ten days after vaccination. The rest
of the patients did not show any side effects due to flu vaccination
after one month of follow-up.