How to prepare for coronavirus vaccine?

There are still many questions regarding COVID and coronavirus vaccine, but what is certain, is that the vaccine is what will help us go back to normal as soon as possible. Since there are more vaccines available and more Medical Centers and Hospitals that are currently providing it, more questions are arising regarding the secondary effects and the best way to prepare to receive the vaccine and its immediate results.

Considerations prior to getting the coronavirus vaccine

  • If you are taking medications for a chronic disease or an underlying condition, it is advised that you keep on taking them normally, but it is NOT recommended to take over-the-counter medications (such as ibuprofen or aspirin) nor antihistamines before the coronavirus vaccine to try and avoid the secondary effects. More than helping, what these over-the-counter medications would be doing is interfering with the immune response.
  • Keep in mind to discuss with your physician which vaccine is more suited for you if you have one of the following conditions: a depressed immune system, allergies, if you recently had a procedure involving anesthesia or if you are currently pregnant.
  • Before making your appointment, consider that you should not get vaccinated if you received another vaccine in the last 14 days. You must wait at least 14 days from any other vaccine you had (including the flu vaccine) to be able to receive the coronavirus vaccine.
  • You can ask your doctor for tips or advice on what to do in case you present secondary effects from the vaccine. The people who present side effects mostly have light flu symptoms that go away in a couple of days.
  • It is best to avoid drinking alcohol during the 24 hours prior and posterior getting vaccinated. Alcohol can accelerate allergic reactions.
  • It is also advised to avoid exercise and hot showers for the prior and posterior 2 hours to the vaccine.

Considerations during and after getting the coronavirus vaccine

  • If you are due for a mammogram or a surgery and you have recently received a coronavirus vaccine, ask your physician how long you have to wait to get your procedure done. Some people have presented a little bit of swelling on the lymph nodes after the vaccine, which would affect the mammogram.
  • Keep in mind both you and the doctor who is applying the vaccine will have to use a mask during the vaccination and have all of the hygiene considerations.
  • At the moment of your vaccination, your doctor must give you information regarding the product or brand that you are receiving. If they do not give you the information you can freely ask for it.
  • You must be kept under observation for at least 15 minutes after getting vaccinated.
  • You must consider that once you have had one dose of one of the existing vaccines, you must have the second dose from the same brand or product, they are not exchangeable.
  • Keep in mind that the COVID-19 vaccine will not cause a positive test result for a PCR test or an antigen laboratory test because these tests check for the active disease and not for immunity.

However, it is possible to test positive in an antibody test since it measures immunity.

  • Remember it takes time for your body to be fully protected. You are considered vaccinated until 2 weeks after the second dose.

At FORMÉ Medical Center, we have the best team available for you, and we are constantly having vaccination campaigns where you can get your coronavirus vaccines. You can learn more about COVID-19 at our webpage https://formemedicalcenter.com/ or you can give us a call at 914 723 4900 to know more about our immunization campaigns.