Vaccination do’s and don’ts

It has been more than two weeks since the opening of the Covid-19 vaccination centre at the Universiti Sains Malaysia main campus in Penang.

Vaccine recipients have many questions, one of which is about food.

In general, there are no food restrictions. However, excess intake of heaty foods like durian and deep-fried bananas should be avoided to prevent the aggravation of possible side effects from vaccination, such as fever and headache.

Vaccinees with chronic diseases should maintain a normal and healthy diet as recommended by nutritionists. British health experts have advised people to avoid alcohol in the days leading up to and after receiving the vaccine.

Mild to moderate workout and exercise are fine after vaccination as long as you are feeling well.

Intense workout should be restricted, especially if you are having side effects, such as high fever or extreme fatigue.

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned people about the risk of heart inflammation (myocarditis and pericarditis) among adolescents and young adults after receiving mRNA Covid-19 vaccines, such as the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

People should avoid exercising as it may intensify this possible side effect.

Some believe that having a shower or bath after vaccination is not allowed. This is false. One may be cautious with the injection site to avoid inflammation or infection. Rubbing or massaging the injection site or the side of the arm is not

Should there be pain or inflammation at the injection site, you can apply a cold compress.

There are myths about skipping medications on the vaccination day, especially for chronic diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease.

This is bogus information. Skipping doses may worsen your disease conditions, making you unfit for

If you are unsure of your condition or medication, you are encouraged to take all medication (prescriptions or pictures of medications) and health reports to the vaccination centre to allow medication counselling by pharmacists and physicians to ensure that you are fit to receive the jab.

However, don’t take along medication stocks that require special storage, such as insulin for diabetic patients.

This may shorten the life span of the medication, causing medication wastage or treatment failure. Or you can consult your doctor prior to the vaccination, especially for immunocompromised patients.

If you are unwell or in no condition to take the jab, your appointment will be rescheduled. Vaccinees who have recovered from Covid-19 infection are advised to defer the vaccination until three months post-infection.

One may think of taking over-the-counter medicine, such as paracetamol, ibuprofen or aspirin, before getting a Covid-19 vaccine to prevent vaccine-related side effects. This is not recommended by the CDC because the possible effects of these medications on the effectiveness of vaccines remain unknown.

Unless you are having these medicines as your medication for other diseases, you should maintain the routine even before the vaccination.

Likewise, it is not recommended to take antihistamines — such as chlorpheniramine, diphenhydramine, loratadine or cetirizine — prior to your vaccination to prevent allergic

This could mask allergic reactions due to the vaccine, especially for those with allergic reactions to other medications or vaccines.

Health professionals are here to provide information and assess people’s fitness prior to vaccination.

We are glad to see the positive response from the public to vaccination. Vaccination should continue to achieve herd immunity in Malaysia.

Building immunity takes time. It takes the body at least two weeks to start producing antibodies to fight Covid-19.

DR GOH CHOON FU
Senior lecturer, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
Universiti Sains Malaysia

NUR HAFZAN MD HANAFIAH
Senior lecturer, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, USM
NG SUI YEE
Registered pharmacist, Pusat Sejahtera, USM

Vaccination do’s and don’ts