HOUSTON — There are a lot of opinions out there about what you should and shouldn’t do before and after you get the COVID-19 vaccine.
The Verify team got the facts from vaccine expert Dr. Peter Hotez.
CLAIM: It's a good idea to take pain killers beforehand so that the shot will hurt less.
FALSE. Dr. Hotez says, “First of all, the shot does not hurt that much. It's a small needle and second, some of those painkillers are anti-inflammatories and they could limit potentially the effectiveness of the shot."
CLAIM: You should pre-dose with allergy medicine.
FALSE. Dr. Hotez says, “The rate of allergic, severe allergic reactions, despite what you may have heard, is actually quite low, about four to five per million.”
CLAIM: You should skip drinking alcohol the day before your vaccine.
FALSE. Dr. Hotez says, “Well, you should limit alcohol consumption in general, but there's no particular reason not to have a drink the night before vaccination or that or that evening after vaccination.”
CLAIM: You should not exercise before your vaccination.
FALSE. Dr. Hotez says, “Keep up with your regular exercise routine. It's really important, especially in this time of Covid."
CLAIM: Taking a Vitamin cocktail of vitamins, C, A and D3 along with zinc, selenium, amino acids and probiotics will improve your immune response to the vaccine.
FALSE. Dr. Hotez says, “Certainly not in the immediate period. It's always good to maintain good nutrition, and some people feel taking vitamin D on a regular basis is beneficial."
CLAIM: You should get a good night’s sleep before your vaccine and take it easy afterward.
TRUE. Dr. Hotez says, “You should. A good night's sleep is always beneficial no matter what you're doing and resting afterwards is a good idea."
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Hotez is a professor of pediatrics and molecular biology at Baylor College of Medicine, where he serves as the Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine and co-director of the Texas Children's Center for Vaccine Development.