Vaccine and alcohol

[Splodgetastic]

Why is there not a campaign to tell people not to drink for two days beforehand or why is the information not given when you are notified of your appointment? Just had a text from DF who is now annoyed with himself for having a few glasses of vino last night when he had his vaccine this morning having now received the information not to drink after the vaccine. I did tell DM so thought she would pass this info on to him and he was just choosing to ignore but it seems that she didn’t. Does the government think that old people don’t drink alcohol?

My mum had a drink after her vaccine. I remember Joan Collins saying on good morning Britain she had a drink afterwards. Are you sure this info is correct?

I thought it was common knowledge that alcohol reduces a body's ability to build immunity after a vaccine. It’s something I’ve been repeatedly told in the past but in fairness it’s unlikely a small amount will make a difference as it’s chronic heavy drinkers that are more of a concern.

Yes, it is correct, based upon the precautionary principle. Reputable organisations such as Diabetes U.K., Drinkaware and seemingly whatever info my DF has received when he had his jab just now.

I don’t think it’s common knowledge as DF asked why and he is not thick. I just said immune response.

Drinking supresses the immune response, especially binge drinking. Personally I think this fact should have been publicised throughout the pandemic, though no doubt many people would have ignored it.
It's a good idea to refrain from alcohol and get plenty of sleep for a few days after your vaccination to maximise the effects of the vax.

It’s not mentioned in the official recipient or healthcare professional leaflets for any of the vaccines so why do people think this is official advice?

Yes, excessive alcohol intake can affect the immune response, but we’re not talking a couple of glasses of wine with your tea here.

When I had mine I was told it was fine to drink on it and it was fake news

Going for mine this afternoon. Will ask.

It’s not fake news.

I inject weekly meds for chronic conditions and I've always been told not to drink on the day I take them. Alwsys wonder why but always forget to ask. Now I know!

No alcohol is not on the manufacturers fact sheet and I wasn’t told not to drink before or after .

@Splodgetastic

It’s not fake news.

It’s not fake news that Drinkaware is promoting this idea, no.

However it’s not in the manufacturer’s instructions for any of the vaccines, and it’s not in the NHS or PHE’s guidance for these or any other vaccines, so to imply the government should be instructing people not to drink any alcohol at all around the time they receive the vaccines is fake news.

If your DF is a heavy drinker laying off the booze is a good idea (generally) but otherwise you’re just scaremongering.

Not in drugs blurb ; not official medicines guidance. I was asked to wait around for five minutes before driving so went off to the Co-Op near the GPs to get a bottle of fizz to celebrate the jab part 1.

I forgot to ask because I was in and out in two minutes flat. The drug leaflet says nothing, nor the government leaflet. We will be having a glass of Fizz tonight to celebrate.

@Phymp

I forgot to ask because I was in and out in two minutes flat. The drug leaflet says nothing, nor the government leaflet. We will be having a glass of Fizz tonight to celebrate.

If there's quite literally the slightest bit of doubt why on earth would you do that. What if you're wrong and it actually did affect if. After nearly a year of lockdowms and grief you would quite frankly be a bloody idiot not to wait a night or so for a drink. Waste of a vaccine potentially because lets face it, it's been developed at break neck speed, I doubt they bothered testing it for alcohol !!! Why on EARTH would you be so frivolous at this point? Wait for goodness sakes.

It seems odd that despite this apparently being a known thing and not fake news, the developers of the vaccine neglected to include it in the information sheet. I wonder why they did that.

This article gives a useful summary of the different views around drinking alcohol after having the jab:
www.newscientist.com/article/2262654-should-you-avoid-alcohol-when-getting-a-coronavirus-vaccine/

I read that the government didn’t want to put people off having it as soon as possible. They were concerned people would delay it until they felt able to abstain for a fortnight, which of course might never come for some people. Better for them to just have it ASAP. Other countries are advising people abstain for a couple of days before and 2 weeks afterwards apparently.

[quote rainexpectedsoon]This article gives a useful summary of the different views around drinking alcohol after having the jab:
www.newscientist.com/article/2262654-should-you-avoid-alcohol-when-getting-a-coronavirus-vaccine/[/quote]
Thanks for the link! That is interesting.

Yeah, it’s just 16 days in total. If you can’t go that long without it’s a problem. Some countries are taking a stricter approach with a longer time advised. Drinkaware is saying you should still have the vaccine even if a heavy drinker, but I think it would have been better to inform people about this more widely. I don’t know exactly who or what told my DF, but assume something was said today to make him ask me. It wouldn’t surprise me as the area he lives in has a lot of drug and alcohol problems. It probably isn’t in the manufacturer’s leaflet if it is something that is common to all vaccines because alcohol suppressed the immune system. I would have thought that most people would prefer to know this and make an informed decision to improve their chances of building immunity. We aren’t all medical experts.

Ultimately though Drinkaware's goal is to reduce people's alcohol intakes. That's how they get funded

I would go with the manufacturers who if they thought there was an issue with alcohol and immunity would be saying so - quite loudly and people would be warned at the vaccination points. I spoke to GPs, nurses, DHSC staff and PHE staff (i am on a couple of research studies) alcohol has never been mentioned)

@BornOnThe4thJuly

I read that the government didn’t want to put people off having it as soon as possible. They were concerned people would delay it until they felt able to abstain for a fortnight, which of course might never come for some people. Better for them to just have it ASAP. Other countries are advising people abstain for a couple of days before and 2 weeks afterwards apparently.

This is definitely bollocks because the Govt. has nothing to do with the authorisation of the vaccine.

I had mine at work (hospital) and this was not mentioned at all by the people vaccinating, nor have any of my colleagues mentioned it? This is the first time I've ever heard this.

It probably isn’t in the manufacturer’s leaflet if it is something that is common to all vaccines because alcohol suppressed the immune system.

This is also complete bollocks. No Summary of Product Characteristics omits warnings just because the warning applies to all medicines in that class.

Your scaremongering risks putting heavy drinkers off having the vaccine and is irresponsible.

Obviously people should not drink to excess, but a couple of glasses of Prosecco is not excessive.

@BlueTimes

I thought it was common knowledge that alcohol reduces a body's ability to build immunity after a vaccine. It’s something I’ve been repeatedly told in the past but in fairness it’s unlikely a small amount will make a difference as it’s chronic heavy drinkers that are more of a concern.

I've NEVER heard this before.