Do you get the COVID-19 vaccine? Avoid using ibuprofen or paracetamol, say experts who have expressed concern that these over-the-counter painkillers could potentially numb the effectiveness of the vaccine.
The two coronavirus vaccines that have experienced emergency use in the US – one developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and the other by Moderna – can cause side effects after administration, such as pain and swelling at the injection site and / or fever, chills. . and headaches, according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). In an effort to prevent some of these unwanted reactions, those who get the jab may choose to use painkillers such as Tylenol (acetaminophen) or Advil (ibuprofen) without a prescription.
Do you get the COVID-19 vaccine? Avoid using ibuprofen or paracetamol, say experts who have expressed concern that these over-the-counter painkillers could potentially numb the effectiveness of the vaccine.
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But it could affect the effectiveness of the vaccines, experts warn.
“I do not recommend people take anything before the vaccine to prevent side effects. We are still learning about the potential impact of ibuprofen or paracetamol – we need more information,” said Dr John Whyte, chief medical officer of the health care website WebMD, said in an email to Fox News.
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“There is no real value in taking this medicine before vaccination; this medicine is for when you have symptoms so as not to prevent symptoms,” he adds.
Uncomfortable symptoms after a vaccine, such as fever or soreness, are a sign that someone’s immune system in this case is building up immunity against a virus or COVID-19.
But using painkillers before receiving the jab can impair the body’s ability to create antibodies against the virus, as these drugs can delay the immune response, experts theorized, and this is mainly indicative of a study by Duke University. in which children were found. who took painkillers before receiving child vaccines subsequently had lower antibody levels compared to those who did not.
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“Our recommendations are that before vaccination you should not use a painkiller to protect yourself from the pain you would expect. But I will only remind people – in the first place if you feel that the pain means that the vaccine work so that it can be a good signal for some people, ‘said Dr. John Brooks, a medical epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and chief medical officer for the COVID-19 response of the agency, said during a recent media conference with The Infectious Diseases Society of America.
“There are some theoretical reasons why it is in a small number of people [pain] can be worrying, [which is why] we only recommend that you have a [pain killer] after vaccination if necessary, “he added. You should generally not take medication unless there is an indication [that it’s needed] – I would limit what I expose myself [unless] I really need it. ‘
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On its website, the CDC recommends placing a clean, cool, wet washcloth over the injection site if you experience pain, and also recommends ‘using or exercising your arm’ to reduce discomfort.
The federal agency also recommends ‘drinking plenty of fluids’ and ‘attracting light’ in case of fever.
Those who experience an increase in redness or tenderness at the injection site 24 hours after receiving the vaccine or have a worrying side effect that does not go away after a few days should consult their doctor, the CDC says.