If you got an appointment for a coveted COVID vaccine, you probably want to make sure everything goes smoothly. That’s why experts are warning that there is a common habit that can actually make the COVID vaccine less effective. If you are taking two common over-the-counter medications, you may be preparing for a shorter immunity. Read on to find out which pills you should not take before receiving your COVID vaccine and whether you want to protect yourself after If you get your injection, know that Dr. Fauci says that doing this after being vaccinated is a big mistake.
In a new interview for ABC News, Simone Wildes, MD, a member of the COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory Group of Massachusetts and an infectious and infectious disease specialist at the South Shore Medical Center, says that both ibuprofen, the effective ingredient in drugs like Advil and Motrin, and acetaminophen, found in Tylenol, can actually make the COVID vaccine less effective. Although some people may take acetaminophen or ibuprofen to lessen the pain associated with the injections, Wildes says: “We do not recommend premedication with ibuprofen or Tylenol before COVID-19 vaccines due to a lack of data on how it affects induced antibody responses. for the vaccine. “
According to a 2009 study published in the journal Lancet, among 459 healthy babies, half of whom received acetaminophen, an acetaminophen-based pain reliever, before a vaccine and half of whom received a placebo, immunological responses to the vaccine “were significantly lower in the prophylactic paracetamol group,” the authors of the study found.
While acetaminophen and ibuprofen can help reduce the unpleasant side effects of the vaccine, such as fever, researchers at the American Society for Microbiology have found that taking NSAIDs (a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) – a category of medicine that includes ibuprofen – “can Be harmful or beneficial, depending on the time of administration. ” Craig B. Wilen, MD, assistant professor of Laboratory Medicine and Immunology at Yale University School of Medicine, noted that specific NSAIDs were found for “[dampen] the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection. “
“We are recommending that, unless people have a substantial reaction to the first dose, hold their [pain relievers], ” William Schaffner, MD, an infectious disease specialist and professor of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, explained to ABC News.
However, taking OTC pain relievers is not the only factor that can affect your immunity. Read on to find out what else could make your vaccine more or less effective. And if you are wondering how the vaccine can affect you, know that this side effect of the COVID vaccine can appear a week after your injection.
If you want the COVID vaccine to benefit your physical well-being, improving your mental health first can help. According to a new study by Ohio State University College of Medicine accepted for publication in Perspectives in psychological science, if you are stressed, you may have decreased immunity to COVID after being vaccinated compared to less stressed individuals. And for more news about vaccines that can affect you, know that if you are over 65, you should not get this new vaccine, experts warn.
Similarly, researchers at Ohio State University College of Medicine who authored the Perspectives in psychological science study found that emotional stressors, including depression, “can alter the body’s ability to develop an immune response.” And for the latest COVID news delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.
If you want to maximize the effectiveness of your COVID vaccine, a run in the neighborhood may be just what you need. According to the researchers behind the aforementioned study, “it is possible to do some simple things to maximize the initial effectiveness of the vaccine”, including doing “vigorous” exercises in the 24 hours prior to receiving the vaccine. And to learn more about what to expect from the latest vaccine, know that these are the side effects of the New Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Need an excuse to give up early? A good night’s sleep may be the best way to increase your immunity to the COVID vaccine. The study’s researchers note that “even short-term interventions can be effective” in boosting immune function before vaccines, recommending that anyone who gets the vaccine get enough sleep within the 24-hour period before the vaccination appointment. And to get the latest information on where COVID is spreading, find out how bad the COVID outbreak is in your state.