What doctors recommend you should – and shouldn’t – do after getting your updated Covid vaccine
Doctors have revealed the three things you should avoid after getting the updated Covid vaccine – and the one thing you should do if you’re feeling unwell.
The updated shots are available to anyone six months and older, but a leading FDA expert says only people 75 and older really need them.
No matter how old a person is, people may experience adverse side effects such as fever, headache, body aches and fatigue after receiving the Covid vaccine.
New York-based infectious disease expert Dr. Thomas Russo advised against using the common painkiller ibuprofen and advised that the first line of defense should be paracetamol.
SMany studies have shown that the drug can reduce the function of the immune system and cause the production of fewer virus-fighting antibodies.
This could make vaccinations less effective because they fail to prime the immune system properly, experts fear, leaving a person more susceptible to serious infections.
Experts say people over 75 should prioritize getting flu and Covid vaccination this year (stock image)
Official data shows that the Covid positivity rate β or the proportion of tests picking up the virus β is no longer falling. This suggests that the number of infections may increase again
The above shows flu cases reported to the CDC. However, they are a huge underestimate because only a small subset of patients are tested for flu
Dr. Russo said Yahoo: ‘In general, I recommend avoiding ibuprofen after a vaccination if possible.’
The experts also warned against the use of steroids after the injection, which people may use for arthritis, autoimmune diseases or breathing problems.
Studies show that these can also make vaccines less effective by suppressing the immune system.
Dr. However, Russo said that people taking these medications should talk to their doctor first: “Most people who use steroids cannot simply stop taking them.
“If you are taking more powerful immunosuppressants, it is a good idea to talk to your healthcare provider about the timing of your injection.”
Other experts also recommended avoiding excessive alcohol consumption in the days after vaccination.
Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease expert at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, warned that alcohol would likely “weaken the immune response to the vaccine if given in the days following vaccination.”
Research already shows that excessive drinking can suppress the activity of white blood cells β crucial components of the immune system β and reduce antibody production, potentially making a vaccine less effective.
When it comes to what to do, experts have agreed on an activity you can start if you feel sick from vaccination.
Dr. Russo said, βIt’s a great opportunity to curl up on the couch with a good book and the clicker to do some binge watching.
‘Please note that these symptoms will resolve on their own even without treatment.’
The doctors also emphasized the importance of hydration and drinking plenty of fluids.
Once recommended to be given on the same day as the flu shot, there are now concerns that getting both vaccines could increase the risk of stroke – with some experts instead suggesting patients should get the shots on different days.
The US is rolling out the updated Covid vaccine this year through private insurance plans, which promise to cover the costs.
But research shows that barely one in ten Americans have signed up for the vaccine.
The latest data up to early November shows that 36 million adults have been given the shot, including 3.5 million children, of the more than 329 million people eligible.
By comparison, an estimated 91 million Americans β or 34 percent of the adult population β have signed up for the flu vaccine.
And 11 million people over the age of 60, or 13 percent of the age group, have signed up to get the shot against infection with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
This map shows flu activity by state. This shows that activity is highest in Louisiana and Puerto Rico
And this graph shows how the number of people hospitalized with the flu begins to increase as winter approaches
On the updated Covid booster, health experts said the figures were roughly the same as the same time last year – showing uptake did not fall further.
But they have warned that many Americans are now avoiding the Covid shots because of vaccine fatigue and because they already have immunity from contracting the virus earlier.
This year’s updated Covid booster vaccine was designed to target the BA.4 and BA.5 Covid variants, the main versions circulating this summer.
But scientists say they should still provide substantial protection against severe disease from HV.1 and EG.5, the new dominant variants.
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that 3,002 flu infections were recorded in the week to November 12, a 60 percent increase from the same time the week before.
CDC experts say this figure is a huge undercount because most people who get the flu are not tested or have their infections recorded.
The number of Covid cases is also no longer falling and the test positivity rate – the percentage of Covid tests that detect the virus – has been at around eight percent for two weeks, indicating that the number of cases could rise again.