An ongoing study in the United States showed that COVID-19 patients who received anti-flu vaccines experienced less infection caused by the disease, a flu expert said on Wednesday.

In a public briefing, flu expert Donald Ray Josue said the study is trying to establish the possible positive effect of the anti-flu vaccine against COVID-19 infection.

"In a study conducted in the United States, they examined and reviewed the medical records of patients who were found positive for COVID-19. The study shows that infection experienced by the patients previously vaccinated with (anti-) flu (vaccine) is lesser or what we call sepsis," Josue said.

"The number of COVID-19 positive patients who consulted the emergency department and even the ICU admission was also lessened," he added.

Josue noted that since the study is still ongoing it cannot be concluded that there is "protection that can be obtained from flu vaccination versus the coronavirus." he said.

"But what is sure and what is definite, is that if you get flu vaccinated, you are protected against the flu virus specifically. In the aspect of public health it helps prevent what we called the flu rate," he added.

Josue said it is also important for COVID-19 fully vaccinated individuals to get anti- flu vaccines.

"We should remember that COVID and flu are two different viruses. In the aspect of public health, we do not want to have what we call the flu outbreak. The expert calls it a twindemic, which means apart from having a COVID pandemic, there is a potential that we will also have a flu outbreak," he said.

"So we want to prevent this and the only way to prevent this is through vaccination. And by doing so, we can help in conserving our mega medical resources which is very much needed in COVID response," he added. Robina Asido/DMS