A Study Found That Giving Up On Alcohol Might Improve Mental Health

Heavy Alcohol Intake After COVID19 Shots Can Negatively Affect the Immune System

Health

Around more than half of the adult people in the US have been given at least one dose of the COVID19 shot. Millions of adult people are on their way to receive their second doses as well. Amid the extensive vaccine rollout program, many people are wondering if it is fine to booze after receiving the vaccine. Many people who smoke marijuana to get some relief from pain might use it for treating side effects they deal with after vaccination, said the experts. Many bars across the US are planning to offer free beer as a token of appreciation provided customers produce proof of vaccination. Many bars in New Jersey are offering free beers at the vaccination sites as well. A clinical professor of pharmacy at the University of California, San Francisco, Katherine Yang has said that having a glass of wine or a can of beer after vaccination is safe. However, heavy drinking or high intake of alcohol might repress the immune system. She has said that people should avoid heavy drinking just after vaccination. On the other hand, people can opt for moderate drinking. Dr. Anne Liu, who is an infectious disease physician at Stanford Health, has said that a celebratory drink is safe and it does not cause any side effects even if a person drinks it on the day of vaccination or a week later.

Dr. Anne Liu has said that if people are drinking high amounts of alcohol and it starts affecting their liver, it might negatively impact their immune system as well. She has said that the liver is an important organ that regulates normal immune response in the body. As per the expert, people who have weak liver function due to many reasons might not respond well to the COVID19 vaccines. Such people are at higher risk of severe problems due to COVID19. In the case of marijuana usage, it depends on the form of intake. Health experts have said that marijuana can be taken in the form of foods, vapor, and smoke. They have warned that people, specifically those who smoke cigarettes are at greater risk of severe COVID19 disease. Anne Liu has said that cigarette smoking particularly affects blood vessels and the cardiovascular system. Unlike other respiratory pathogens, the SARS-CoV-2 virus specifically targets people who are dealing with disorders of blood vessels and the cardiovascular system. People, who are dealing with diseases of blood vessels and the cardiovascular system, are at a greater risk of severe COVID19 disease. This is the reason; health experts have kept smokers on high priority for getting the COVID19 vaccine in some areas of the US. She has said that it will be beneficial if people use marijuana in other forms instead of smoking.

On the other hand, some health experts have said that since there is no study available on the effects of marijuana on COVID19 vaccination, it might not affect the immune response in people who have been vaccinated. However, it is possible that marijuana leads to some side effects such as headaches, nausea, or achiness after vaccination. People should monitor these side effects closely, said the experts. Anne Liu has said that it is uncertain what effects, heavy drugs like cocaine or ecstasy will have on people after vaccination. She has said that it is unpredictable what impact even a modest amount of these substances will have on the immune system of people who have been vaccinated. Therefore, people should skip these drugs on the day of the vaccination to be on the safer side.