Some experts are debating whether to avoid alcohol before and after taking the COVID-19 vaccine, because of how it can affect your immune response. But a doctor we spoke to offered a different reason why you didn’t want to have your drinks at the time of vaccination: alcohol can increase the likelihood that you will have a reaction to the vaccine. Here’s more about that connection.
Can I drink alcohol after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine?
Purvi Parikh, MD, an immunologist and allergist at the Allergy & Asthma Network, told POPSUGAR that “alcohol actually lowers your threshold for allergic reactions because it basically causes your blood vessels to expand, or what we call vasodilate, and that causes inflammation in your body. “The result is that” you are more likely to react, “she added.
Although a rash on the arm with the Modern vaccine is considered harmless and normal – and is short-term – alcohol can exacerbate a reaction. Dr. Parikh recommends avoiding alcohol on the day of the vaccine and at least 24 hours after the vaccine or until any side effects – which may include fever, fatigue, muscle and joint pain and swollen lymph nodes – subside. And that is whether or not you have any known allergies.
“Let’s say that in 24 hours you feel back to normal, that’s great. But if you’re having side effects after the vaccine for 48 hours, then I wouldn’t put any more fuel on the fire,” Dr. Parikh, who is also a co-investigator in the trials of the COVID-19 vaccine at NYU, he noted. She said, too, that she would give the same advice for both doses of the currently available mRNA vaccines – Pfizer and Moderna – especially since the second dose could lead to greater side effects.
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Blanka Kaplan, MD, an adult and pediatric allergy and immunology specialist at Northwell Health, similarly told WebMD that alcohol can speed up allergic reactions, and she suggested an even longer time frame to avoid alcohol around the vaccination date. “Since we still don’t know enough about the influence of alcohol on allergic reactions to COVID-19 vaccines, I recommend avoiding drinking alcohol for 24 hours before and after vaccination,” she said.
Dr. Parikh also noted that the serious adverse effects of the vaccine, such as anaphylaxis, would occur 30 to 60 minutes after receiving the injection. Still, she suggests calling your doctor if you have any signs of an allergic reaction, such as a skin rash – so they can decide the severity of the reaction for themselves. Indications for a more serious response to the vaccine are dizziness, difficulty breathing and vomiting. At that point, Dr. Parikh suggests contacting your doctor. Of course, if in doubt, you can contact your doctor about any side effects that may concern you.
Since we still don’t know much about these COVID-19 vaccines, it is best to be careful and avoid alcohol at the time of injection to minimize inflammation and a possible allergic reaction.
POPSUGAR aims to provide the most accurate and up-to-date information on the coronavirus, but the details and recommendations on this pandemic may have changed since publication. For the latest information on COVID-19, check the resources of WHO, CDC and local public health departments.