Yes, a healthy adult male can receive the influenza and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines on the same day
Current CDC/ACIP guidelines explicitly state that COVID-19 vaccines may be administered simultaneously with influenza vaccines, and these should be given at separate anatomic sites. 1
Key Administration Guidelines
Simultaneous Administration is Permitted
- Injectable vaccines given concomitantly must be administered at separate anatomic sites 1
- If both vaccines are administered simultaneously, they should ideally be given in different limbs to minimize local injection site reactions 1
- The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine (mRNA-1273) is an mRNA vaccine that can be coadministered with inactivated influenza vaccines without timing restrictions 1
Expected Reactogenicity
- Providers should be aware of potential for increased reactogenicity with coadministration 1
- Most adverse reactions are mild to moderate (Grade 1 or 2) in severity and of short duration 1
- A study of 296 persons aged ≥65 years showed that overall reactogenicity up to 7 days post-vaccination was similar between coadministration and COVID-19 vaccine alone groups, with no serious adverse events observed 1
Evidence Supporting Coadministration
Immunogenicity Data
Recent high-quality research demonstrates that simultaneous administration does not compromise vaccine effectiveness:
- A 2026 U.S. multisite randomized trial (335 participants) found no blunting of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine immunogenicity when administered simultaneously with influenza vaccine 2
- Post-vaccination antibody titers for SARS-CoV-2 were comparable between simultaneous and sequential groups (p = 0.79 for D614G strain; p = 0.69 for BA.4/5 variant) 2
- A 2024 study showed immune responses were similar or enhanced with concurrent administration, with no immune interference or safety concerns 3, 4
- Some evidence suggests concurrent administration may actually yield higher and more durable SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses compared to separate administration 5
Safety Profile
- Multiple studies confirm an acceptable safety profile with no serious adverse events related to coadministration 2, 3, 6
- A 2024 study of 128 volunteers found that while side effects were increased (as expected with mRNA vaccines), no notable safety concerns emerged 4
- Phase 3 data from combined mRNA vaccines (mRNA-1083) in 8,015 adults aged ≥50 years showed most solicited adverse reactions were Grade 1 or 2 with no safety concerns identified 6
Practical Recommendations
Administration Technique
- Administer vaccines in different arms (one in each deltoid) 1
- This approach is particularly important given that both vaccines can cause injection site reactions 1
- Use standard intramuscular injection technique for both vaccines 1
Patient Counseling
- Inform the patient that reactogenicity may be higher than receiving either vaccine alone, but symptoms are typically mild to moderate and resolve within a few days 1, 4
- Common reactions include injection site pain, fatigue, headache, and myalgia 3, 4
- Vaccination should not be delayed if both vaccines are indicated, even if increased reactogenicity is a concern 1
Important Caveats
The 2024-25 ACIP guidelines note that while data on coadministration of COVID-19 vaccines with adjuvanted influenza vaccines are limited, influenza vaccination should not be delayed if a specific vaccine formulation is not immediately available 1. For a healthy adult male, standard-dose inactivated influenza vaccine is appropriate and can be safely coadministered with Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.