Avoid alcohol after getting Covid vaccine shot: Experts

Kolkata: Health experts in the city advised people to refrain from drinking alcohol for at least 3 to 7 days after getting the Coronavirus vaccine shot.

The experts claimed that drinking alcohol after a vaccine shot can significantly blunt the immune system.

According to senior doctors, scientific literature on alcohol and the immune system shows that excess liquor acts as immunosuppressant. People, who drink a lot, are more susceptible to

infections.

"As Coronavirus vaccine is new, there is hardly any published data to confirm what can be the pros and cons if people get the shots. But various studies have shown that alcohol consumption reduces immunity power. So, it is always advisable not to consume alcohol after taking the vaccine," said Dr Kunar Sarkar of Rabindranath Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences (RTIICS).

However, a section of doctors are of the opinion that various studies of the UK and Sweden indicate that they are not talking about a complete ban on alcohol during vaccination. Such studies indicate that there is a reasonable limitation on consumption until the body has formed its own immune response to Coronavirus infection.

It is important to understand that excessive alcohol consumption can significantly reduce immunity and therefore reduce the effectiveness of vaccination or even make it meaningless.

According to Sarkar as per news reports, health officials have asked people not to consume spirits and alcohol for 2 months after receiving COVID-19 vaccine.

They also maintained that the vaccine recipients need to be cautious as Sputnik V vaccine takes around 42 days to show its effectiveness.

According to the World Health Organisation estimates, Russia is the fourth-largest consumer of alcohol per person in the world. An average Russian consumes 15.1 litres of alcohol in a year.