COVID-19 who had been vaccinated against flu were also less likely to visit the emergency department and be admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), the researchers said. "This finding is particularly significant because the pandemic is straining resources in many parts of the world," said Devinder Singh, a professor at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in the US. "Therefore, our research -- if validated by prospective randomised clinical trials -- has the potential to reduce the worldwide burden of disease," Singh, the study's senior author, said.
Several recent studies have suggested that the flu vaccine may provide protection against COVID-19 -- meaning it could be a valuable weapon in the fight to halt the pandemic.