Mediterranean Observer
Experts from around the world are offering varying opinions on how long you should avoid drinking alcohol for when getting your coronavirus vaccine, but they do agree that alcohol should not be consumed near to being vaccinated.
According to Diario Sur, drinking alcohol along with having a coronavirus vaccine can be compared to the famous don’t drink and drive slogan, in that the two should never be mixed.
The expert reminder not to drink comes from the fact that alcohol affects the immune system and according to Ronx Ikharia, Doctor of Immunology and the documentary ‘The truth about boosting your immune system’, alcohol affects the number of white lymphocytes in the bloodstream, which weakens the immune response. The scientist went as far as to test out how volunteer’s immune systems reacted after having three glasses of white wine.
The time estimates for the avoidance of alcohol vary wildly though and the least likely to be followed comes in at a recommendation of 42 days after the vaccine, and two weeks as a minimum without alcohol before the vaccine. This regulation comes from Anna Popova, A leading Russian health authority.
According to experts when being given the vaccine a full immune response is required to get maximum effectiveness. Sheena Cruickshank, professor of immunology at the University of Manchester has explained that for the vaccine to work fully the body needs to, “generate a good response to the vaccine”, and in order to allow your body to do this, “it is not advisable to drink alcohol the night before or shortly after receiving the vaccine”.
