Alcohol and the vaccine

[Pissedoff1234]

I'm due to have the vaccine tomorrow in the late afternoon.

Over the past few weeks I've taken to having a baileys hot chocolate on an evening. Before Xmas and for years before this Ive hardly drank anything but this has become a regular every night thing mainly to help me sleep as I've become a bit of an insomniac which I've never had problems with before.

It didn't cross my mind until I thought about it halfway through my drink that maybe I shouldn't be drinking it due to having the jab tomorrow.

I have read a few articles saying should be ok and others saying to stop for a few days. Anyone have any experience/knowledge of if this will stop it working / cause more side effects.

If this was a problem then it would be advised, much like when you require a fasting blood test - you are told.

Everything I read about it suggests it’s binge drinking that “could” cause the problem anyway, not a drink a day.

If insomnia is an issue, it is a good idea to avoid caffeine and sugar for at least four hours before bed.

Chocolate contains caffeine, and obviously there is sugar in there too as well as in the alcohol, so something high in protein such as boiled egg or small meat sandwich would help you sleep better.

I think the argument is that alcohol can weaken your immune system. My parents drank a few days before as they were only called with 3 days notice and then didn’t drink for 3 weeks afterwards. My dad is a virologist. Don’t see the hard in not drinking if it can make it even slightly more effective.

Drink Aware was suggesting not drinking for two days before, and two weeks after - no hard evidence of harm, just a precaution to try to get the best immune response. It likely won't make much if any difference, but I feel I might as well follow the advice, just in case.

www.drinkaware.co.uk/professionals/press/drinkaware-issues-precautionary-advice-about-alcohol-and-the-covid-19-vaccine

@DrEllie

I got called unexpectedly for my jab so no time to take back the couple of definately pub measure wines I had the night before. All OK

That's reassuring thanks.

I'll just drop this and then get my buzzkill self off your thread lol:

Today’s data shows that in the first three quarters of 2020, alcohol-specific deaths in England and Wales reached the highest level since the beginning of our data series, with April to September, during and after the first lockdown, seeing higher rates compared to the same period in previous years.
www.ons.gov.uk/aboutus/transparencyandgovernance/freedomofinformationfoi/totalukdeaths201820192020

A couple of units of alcohol the night before, isn't going to affect something that takes place the following afternoon. The alcohol will be long gone from your bloodstream - takes about 12h.

DH had a couple of bottles of lager before he saw the text inviting him to book. He went the next morning and alcohol wasn't mentioned so he certainly didn't go three weeks before his next drink!