Covid-19: Doctor warns against use of alcohol after immunisation

Chandigarh, January 24

An expert has advised that after taking the Covid-19 vaccine shot, people should not prefer consuming alcohol as it can impact the response of the vaccine. Dr Madhu Gupta, community health expert and principal investigator of Covishield trials at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), said if possible one should wait for four to six weeks after receiving the first vaccine jab.

“Alcohol and heavy smoking interfere with the immunological response of the body. These interfere with the mechanism in which the antibodies are expected to be produced in the body after taking the shot. With this, the optimum level of antibodies expected could not be reached. So, if the optimum level is not achieved, the seroprotection expected after 14 days cannot be of that level,” Dr Madhu Gupta said.

She said there was no such thing that there would be a reaction and any adverse impact of consuming alcohol after taking the vaccine shot.

“It is just that the level of immunity desired cannot be reached and this is true for almost every kind of vaccine,” she said.