As the Philippines ramps up it vaccine drive and more are convinced to get their jabs, people have also started being curious about whether it is safe to drink alcohol before or after getting their doses.
So, the big question is: Can you drink after you get your vaccine? Can you drink between doses? Should you wait to drink until after your last shot? If so, for how long should you wait?
According to Food and Drug Administration chief Eric Domingo, there is no proof that liquor reduces the efficacy of coronavirus vaccines,
However, he said, “Siyempre po gusto natin kasi right after the vaccination medyo malusog kayo at saka malakas ang inyong resistensiya para kung magka-adverse events ay hindi po ito maa-aggravate.”
(Of course, we want that right after the vaccination, you are healthy and your immune system is strong so that in case of adverse events from the vaccine, these will not be aggravated.)
“At saka siyempre gusto natin medyo buhay at gising iyong diwa natin lalo na po iyong first 24 to 48 hours after the vaccination, kasi mahirap kung tayo ay nahihilo or nawawala sa sarili dahil nakainom. Baka mamaya may mga adverse events na pala hindi na natin mapapansin,” Domingo said in a televised public briefing.
(And of course, we want to be alert, especially in the first 24 to 48 hours after the vaccination because it is difficult if you are dizzy or not yourself because of drink. You might not notice adverse effects.)
The CDC’s guidelines for vaccine side effects include pain, nausea, muscle pain and headache, among others. The agency doesn’t include any advisories against alcohol use. Moreover, the FDA’s guidelines for vaccine administration and use don’t mention alcohol; the only warnings the FDA gives for vaccines have to do with severe allergies.
The CDC does warn that people may experience a more intense reaction after receiving a second dose. Side effects, which include fever and chills, can be more pronounced after the second dose. These symptoms can be more intense if one has been drinking (which would be the case with any common cold or mild flu). Try to imagine nursing a hangover at the same time as the flu: none of that seems fun.
Some 9.9 million Filipinos have received their first vaccine dose, while 3.8 million others have completed 2 doses, according to a Malacañang update last week, Wednesday.
Less than 1 percent of vaccine recipients reported adverse side effects from vaccines, and most of these were mild, like body pain, said Domingo.
“The great majority of patients will have no symptoms at walang (and no) discomfort after vaccination,” he said.
The number of Filipinos willing to get inoculated against the coronavirus rose to 43 percent in June from just 16 percent in February, a Pulse Asia survey showed on Monday, as concerns over the safety of vaccines eased.
Forbes, ABS-CBN