Explained: What to do and what to avoid before and after vaccination

The second wave of Covid19 is on a decline in most parts of India More drives to get people vaccinated against the deadly virus both public and private are slowly taking off after a period of being affected by severe shortages and government policy UturnsA lot of people still have some anxiety and questions around the vaccination process So Middaycom asked two Mumbaibased experts ndash Dr Rajeev Boudhankar MD medicine and CEO Bhatia Hospital and Dr Tushau Prasad consultant emergency medicine Wockhardt Hospital ndash to answer some queries that are frequently asked in the context of prejab preparations and postjabs careDr Tushau Prasad left and Dr Rajeev BoudhankarWhat are some important points to keep in mindpreparations to be done before taking the vaccinePrasad If you are taking any medication then do so with the guidance of your expert Discuss any serious health issues with the expert or if have undergone any surgery If you have any allergies then get the right treatment from the doctor and get vaccinated only after the clearance Stick to a wellbalanced diet before vaccination Eat turmeric ginger green leafy vegetables like spinach broccoli whole fruits pulses legumes and whole grains Donrsquot have alcohol processed and junk food smoking and carbonated drinks Stay hydrated by drinking a lot of water Avoid salty saturated fats and foods with high calories Do not eat sugary foods and avoid taking the vaccine on an empty stomachWhat are the maskingdistancing protocols to be followed at the vaccination centre and postvaccinationBoudhankar Generally vaccine centres in India are places where there are crowds Hence even here there may be asymptotic carriers This means we need to keep a distance of at least 1 meter from each other and avoid spending more time than necessary at the vaccination centres You have to remember even in vaccination centre settings Covid19 can spreadPrasad At the vaccination centre you will have to follow the Covid protocol of masking social distancing and hand sanitising Postvaccination you will have to wait at the centre as you will be monitored for allergies or any adverse reactions for at least half an hourWhat is the protocol around alcohol consumption before and after vaccinationBoudhankar As per experts there is no evidence of alcohol impairing the effectiveness of the vaccine Of course there are not many large studies conducted to study this hypothesis So the question Can I drink alcohol after the vaccine You dont need to avoid alcohol but its best not to overdo it for a few days if you have vaccine sideeffectsWhat are the possible side effects after taking the vaccine Are side effects a sign that the vaccine is working What does having no side effects mean thenPrasadCommon sideeffects of vaccination are fever chills nausea muscle pain headache swelling at the site and fatigue Yes the side effects mean the vaccine is working If your bodyrsquos immune response is more then you will have a flulike illness Itrsquos like your body is building protection against the virus But do not panic even if you donrsquot get any side effects Not having symptoms does not mean there is a problemBoudhankar While the symptoms show your immune system is responding to the vaccine in a way that will protect against disease evidence from clinical trials showed that people with few or no symptoms were also protected ldquoDont feel bad if you dont feel badrdquo the experts sayScientists have noticed that people above the age of 65 are having fewer sideeffects to the vaccine This can be attributed to the gradual agerelated decline in immune activity Although this can be related to lower antibody levels they still have immunity against the virusAdverse effects of Covid19 vaccines should only last for a few days If they last longer contact a doctor especially since some side effects such as a fever chills and fatigue are also symptoms of Covid19Should one take painkillers paracetamol after vaccination Which drugs when and what dosage is advisableBoudhankar Take a paracetamol Crocin 500mg only if you have fever or 650 mg if there is unbearable pain at the injection site or severe body acheIf the arm in which the shot was taken remains sore for days afterwards is it a cause of concernIf the arm in which the shot was taken remains sore for days afterwards is it a cause of concernPrasad Generally the soreness goes away within 23 days but if it is persistent for a long time then just consult the doctorWhat are the dorsquos and donrsquots after taking the vaccineBoudhankar Do not rub the injection site Wait for at least half an hour in the postvaccination area for the healthcare personnel to observe you Inform them if you suddenly feel ldquounwellrdquo dizzy lightheaded feeling faint etc Rest after going home for the rest of the day if possiblePrasad There will be side effects like pain at the injection site or swelling tiredness fever body pain or chills Take medicine as suggested to you at the vaccination centre Do not smoke or have alcohol after vaccination as it can lower your immunity and dehydrate you Even after inoculation follow the Covid19 protocol of masking hand sanitising and social distancing Avoid going to crowded places Eat antiinflammatory foods like strawberries cherries oranges mackerel salmon tuna green vegetables tomatoes and nuts after vaccination Opt for fibrerich food will improve your immunity Eat citrus fruits salmon sardines and eggs A healthy diet will boost your immunity and lower the inflammation in the body Drinking enough fluids will reduce the possibility of side effects and keep you energised Rest enough and get a good nightrsquos sleepWhat is currently the prescribed gap between the two vaccine dosesBoudhankar Presently in India the interval between two doses for Covaxin is 28 days and for Covishield it is 84 daysCan you share observations regarding breakout infections What are the chances of people contracting the virus after taking one or both doses of the vaccineBoudhankar Covid infection postvaccination is called ldquobreakout infectionrdquo If Covid appropriate behaviour is practiced then the chances are few However there is still a chance to get Covid after the vaccination if precautions are not takenA vaccine that is 9037 effective means theoretically that if 200 million people are vaccinated around 20 million of them might still be infected and get sick The vaccines actual effectiveness may vary depending on ones underlying immune system and exposure riskThe risks of getting Covid19 are higher in crowded and inadequately ventilated spaces where infected people spend long periods of time together in close proximity These environments are where the virus appears to spread by respiratory droplets or aerosols more efficiently so taking precautions is even more importantIf someone tests positive for Covid19 after taking both doses vaccination what should they doPrasad If the viral infection is mild then one can be home quarantined There should be a separate room washroom and vessels for the patient at home Do not allow any visitors at home The person should stay in touch with the doctor and follow the Covid protocol of masking hand sanitising and social distancing Monitor your temperature SPO2 levels twice a day and take medicines prescribed by the doctor If the infection is severe then get admitted to the hospital Boudhankar First thing is not to panic There is a difference between disease and infection Vaccinated persons may get infection but the infection will not proceed to serious bodily harm as the vaccine prevents serious disease from developing Vaccinated persons do not have serious morbidity but mild symptoms like the common flu They do not require hospitalisation generally or do not land up in the ICU Deaths are very very rare In case you have high fever or serious breathlessness please consult your doctor How long does it take for immunity to start building after the first dose How much is that immunity boosted after the second doseBoudhankar The immune system revs up within the first 1214 days after the first dose of vaccination and after the second dose within 2 weeks the immune system starts fully priming upHow long will the immunity last after getting vaccinatedPrasad The immunity from the vaccine will last at least 6 monthsThere are bizarre stories about magnetism in the body after getting vaccinated What is your take on itBoudhankar This is the most absurd ldquoinventionrdquo to gain cheap publicity because of the easy availability of a readymade audience on the social media There is no scientific evidence whatsoever If you have noticed the utensils sticking to their body are made of stainless steel and not iron utensils Magnetised bodies do not attract steel Moreover it is a known fact that our bodies expel lot of sebum along with sweat and if properly placed on rounded contours of the body this sebum will stick to any utensil and hold it in positionPrasad Do not believe in such rumours and avoid forwarding such baseless videos to others The Covid vaccine is safe it cannot cause a magnetic reaction in the human body and doesnrsquot contain any metalbased ingredients like iron nickel cobalt and lithium You wonrsquot get magnetised Do not get discouraged or avoid vaccination owing to these rumoursWhat are some of the myths about vaccination and postvaccine care that you would like to bustAccording to specialist PrasadmdashMyth1 Menstruating women need not take vaccinationFact Note that your periods have nothing to do with inoculation So it is safe to get vaccinated even while you have your periodMyth2 Lactating and breastfeeding mothers should avoid vaccinationFact No harmful effects of vaccination have been recorded or noted in lactating or breastfeeding mothers It is safe for them to get the jabMyth3 Covid vaccines induce infertilityFact There is no study or a research to validate this claim of infertility due to the vaccineMyth 4 Those with comorbidities like diabetes heart conditions and cancer must avoid vaccinationFact In fact those with comorbidities are at an increased risk of getting infected with CovidMyth 5 Covid vaccine causes longlasting side effectsFact The side effects after vaccination are seen only a few days after the vaccine There will be no serious consequences of the vaccination that can haunt you in the long runMyth 6 One can get Covid from the vaccinesFact Not at all the vaccine doesnrsquot contain a live virus So you canrsquot get Covid You get side effects as your body is creating the immune response and not because of the Covid infectionAlso Read A Pronouns Primer How to ask for and get pronouns right when addressing diverse gender identities