Covid vaccines come with some side effects, which is a sign that the immune system is starting to work and protect the virus. Common side effects for Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech Covid vaccines include things like pain and swelling in your arm and flu-like symptoms, including fatigue, headache, fever and chills.
As you prepare for the long-awaited vaccination schedule (to check your vaccine eligibility status, you can use the NBC News plan for your vaccination tool), you may be wondering if you can do anything to alleviate these. normal but uncomfortable side effects. . Here’s what you should know.
Can you take Tylenol or ibuprofen after receiving the vaccine?
Centers for Disease Control says you can take over-the-counter pain medications, such as ibuprofen (such as Advil), aspirin, antihistamines, or acetaminophen (such as Tylenol), if you experience side effects after being vaccinated for Covid. As with any medicine, the CDC recommends that you talk to your doctor first.
Should you take OTC medicines before receiving the vaccine?
Take OTC pain medication before the shot to try and reduce symptoms is not recommended by the CDC because it is not clear how it could affect the effectiveness of the vaccine.
The concern is that pretreatment with pain medications that reduce fever and inflammation (such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen) may decrease the immune system’s response to the vaccine.
This is because your immune system responds to vaccines through a process called “controlled inflammation,” Dr. Colleen Kelley, an associate professor of medicine at Emory University School of Medicine, told USA Today in January.
Covid messenger RNA vaccines work by providing cells with genetic material that tells them how to produce a non-infectious piece of the virus. The immune system then creates antibodies against it – which is controlled inflammation – and can remember how to trigger an immune response if exposed to the virus in the future.
But drugs that relieve OTC pain “reduce the production of inflammatory mediators,” Kelley said. That’s why it’s important to wait until you’ve received the vaccine (and started creating an inflammatory response around it) to take a pain medication.
Research in children has shown that those who take acetaminophen before receiving vaccines have a lower immune response than those who do not. And a recent Yale study found that taking mice on nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (aka “NSAIDs”) before being exposed to SARS-CoV-2 led to fewer protective antibodies to the virus.
The exception is for people who normally take these types of OTC pain medications as part of their routine to manage another condition. These people should continue normally, but consult your doctor for further recommendations before receiving the vaccine, as there may be ramifications for omitting medications.
Tips for treating the side effects of the vaccine
Beyond taking medication, there are some home remedies that can help you deal with side effects. Applying a cold, damp cloth to the spot on the arm where the shooting was administered can help relieve some of the pain, according to the CDC. If you drink a lot of fluids it is wise if you are feverish and if you wear light clothes you can stay comfortable.
After the vaccine, you must wait 15 minutes before leaving the place where you were vaccinated (or 30 minutes if you have a history of anaphylaxis) to be observed for serious reactions or side effects.
According to the CDC, the side effects of the Covid vaccine should go away in a few days. That being said, in some cases, side effects can interfere with your ability to lead your daily life, so you may want to plan accordingly.
Also, be aware: many people have side effects from the second of the two doses. This is because the first dose triggers an immune response, and the second dose “stimulates” it.
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