The distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine is increasing in the US, but there is much more work to be done, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). More than 100 million doses were administered at the time of publication – but that number is expected to increase rapidly after the Johnson & Johnson single dose vaccine has been authorized.
On March 11, President Joe Biden announced that he will guide states to make all adults in the United States eligible for vaccination by May 1, with the hope that the country will return to some sense of normality by July 4.
But as soon as you get in line for the injection, you may have doubts about what to expect after being vaccinated, especially with regard to side effects.
You may feel totally good and not experience any side effects after the vaccine, but the CDC says you can also experience flu-like symptoms, including pain and swelling at the injection site, fever, chills, fatigue or headache. All of this is completely normal, because “it basically shows that the immune system is being prepared” to fight the virus, Richard Watkins, MD, an infectious disease and professor of internal medicine at Northeast Ohio Medical University, told Prevention.com. .
Of course, if you feel bad for a few days, you’ll want to start feeling better as soon as possible. But the CDC says you should avoid taking over-the-counter pain-relieving drugs, such as paracetamol (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) before getting the vaccine, and talk to your doctor if you want to take them close to the time of your immunization. Here’s what you should know.
First, a quick update on how paracetamol and ibuprofen work on the body.
Paracetamol is an analgesic without aspirin. It is often used for fever and headaches, along with other common aches, according to the US National Library of Medicine. Its exact mechanism is not entirely clear, says Jamie Alan, Pharm.D, Ph.D., an associate professor of pharmacology and toxicology at Michigan State University, but “the thought is that it acts on the brain to control pain.”
Ibuprofen is in a class of drugs known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). “Ibuprofen works by inhibiting the body’s enzymes – COX-1 and COX-2 – to decrease inflammation,” says Alan. NSAIDs can also help to reduce fever and pain.
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The CDC recommends avoiding ibuprofen or paracetamol before you get the COVID-19 vaccine.
It makes perfect sense that you want to take a pill to reduce pain or fever in anticipation of uncomfortable symptoms, but it is not clear at this point how these drugs will affect the vaccine’s ability to create those important anti-COVID antibodies.
“There are some small studies in children that have to do with regular vaccines – not COVID vaccines – that may indicate that taking ibuprofen or paracetamol before receiving the vaccine may slightly reduce your antibody response,” says William Schaffner, MD, an expert in infectious diseases and professor at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. “But no one really knows if it has any clinical significance and it has never been studied on a clinical scale.”
So, until more research is done and the implications are understood, it is best to be cautious and simply avoid taking these drugs before being vaccinated, as there is some risk that doing so “makes the vaccine less effective,” says David Cennimo, MD , assistant professor of infectious diseases of medicine-pediatrics at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.
You should be concerned about taking any of the medications after do you get the COVID-19 vaccine?
The data does not say definitively that taking paracetamol or ibuprofen after being vaccinated will interfere with the vaccine’s effectiveness, so don’t stress too much, says Thomas Russo, MD, professor and chief of infectious diseases at the University of Buffalo in New York. In general, if you experience uncomfortable pain or discomfort, taking an OTC medication, such as ibuprofen or paracetamol, according to the dosing instructions is reasonable, according to the CDC.
It is also entirely possible that the CDC recommends checking with your doctor in advance, because taking too much of any of the medications can be toxic, says Dr. Russo.
What else should you do if you experience side effects after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine?
If you are feeling bad after being vaccinated, but have no idea what to do when it comes to OTC drugs, call your doctor, especially if you are pregnant or have a latent health problem. “It is a risk / benefit decision that is unique to each patient,” says Alan. “If someone has a fever of 104, it may be worth taking a dose of acetaminophen or ibuprofen,” she says.
If you feel uncomfortable but feel that you can overcome difficulties, Dr. Schaffner recommends drinking plenty of fluids, resting and, if you have a fever, wearing light clothing. If you experience pain at the injection site, apply a cold, clean, damp towel to reduce swelling and try to move your arm gently to do light exercises, according to the CDC.
In addition, it is not a bad idea to just relax one day after vaccination. “Don’t take the injection and plan to climb mountains the next day,” says Dr. Watkins. After all, these vaccines teach your body how to fight a totally foreign virus, and that requires a lot of energy.
This article is correct at the time of publication. However, as the COVID-19 pandemic evolves rapidly and the scientific community’s understanding of the new coronavirus develops, some of the information may have changed since the last update. While our goal is to keep all of our stories up to date, visit the online resources provided by CDC, WHOit’s yours local department of public health to stay informed about the latest news. Always speak to your doctor for professional medical advice.
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