States continue to broaden the admission requirements for the coronavirus vaccine, which means your chances of being vaccinated may be up soon. However, getting the chance is just one part of the process. There are important things to keep in mind before and after your vaccination to ensure that you stay safe and that your vaccine is effective. The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) now emphasizes that you should not even take this one thing after your vaccination without a doctor’s permission. Read on to find out what requires a doctor’s approval. The CDC says you do not need it within two weeks of your COVID vaccine for more information guidelines.
According to the CDC, side effects are common and normal after the vaccination of COVID. You may experience pain, headaches, muscle aches or fever, which can help you achieve painkillers. However, in a March 5 update, the CDC stressed that you should first talk to your doctor before taking ‘medicines without medicines, such as ibuprofen, paracetamol, aspirin or antihistamines’ after the vaccine. Although this warning was previously on the site, it has now been changed to emphasis.
These medications include painkillers and antipyretics such as Motrin and Advil (which are trademarks of ibuprofen) and Tylenol (which is an acetaminophen brand). Although these pills can alleviate side effects after vaccination, your doctor can help you decide if it is safe to take after your shot. And if you are taking this common medicine, you should consult more medications about your doctor. Then talk to your doctor before vaccinating.
However, medication is not the only way you can alleviate your side effects. According to the CDC, if you want to reduce pain and discomfort where you got the shot, you can apply a clean, cool, wet washcloth over the area. ‘The agency also suggests that you use or exercise your arm to relieve pain. If you have a fever after your vaccination, the CDC recommends drinking plenty of fluids and light clothing to make your fever uncomfortable. And for more information on vaccine preparation, doctors say do these two things the morning of your vaccination.
While the CDC says that OTC medication after vaccination is good with a doctor’s approval, the agency says it is “not recommended to take this medication before vaccination to try to prevent side effects.” It is not yet known how these drugs can affect your vaccination response.
“There are some small studies in children dealing with regular vaccines – not COVID vaccines – that may indicate that using ibuprofen or paracetamol before you get the vaccine may slightly reduce your antibody response,” William Schaffner, MD, an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, explains to Prevention. “But no one really knows if it has clinical significance and it has never been studied on a clinical scale.” And sign up for our daily newsletter for more information.
The CDC acknowledges that the side effects that may occur after your COVID vaccination may affect your ability to do daily activities, ‘but this should only last for a few days. However, if your side effects worry you or do not go away on their own, the CDC says you should contact a doctor or healthcare provider. You should also contact a medical professional “according to the CDC’s guidelines” if the redness or tenderness where you are likely to get worse after 24 hours. “And for more information on vaccine reactions, if it happens after your vaccination, the FDA says that you need to dial 911.