Prepare yourself for the COVID-19 vaccination
Malaysia has started the 2nd phase of Covid-19 vaccination programme since 19 April 2021, where the elderly, those with morbidity problems and people with disabilities are prioritised.
If you are falling into these categories, prepare yourself for the exciting vaccination date! If your parents are included in this phrase of vaccination, let them know what to do and what not to do before taking the vaccine. Here’s some tips on how to prepare yourself for the Covid-19 vaccination.
What to do before the vaccination
Know your medical history
Before the vaccination day, you should know your health condition well. Get yourself prepared to answer a series of questions about your health issues and allergies. Be honest and always declare yourself if you have any allergies or illness including high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and so on.
Wear a ‘vaccine-friendly’ outfit
Wearing ‘vaccine-friendly’ clothing on your vaccination day allows the nurse to easily access your upper arm. The vaccine will be delivered to the deltoid muscle, which is the upper, big muscle on your shoulder. You may consider wearing a short-sleeved, loose-fitting shirt where your sleeve can be rolled up easily. Beside, picking your favorite outfit to wear on your vaccination day will be a bonus as you might want to take a #igotmyshot selfie for social media later on.
Have your breakfast or lunch
You are encouraged to eat something and drink enough water on your vaccination day. Proper nutrition and a hydrated body can help to prevent you from feeling dizzy or lightheaded if you get nervous when getting your shot. Other than that, staying hydrated is always important for your health, and it prepares your body to respond to the vaccine.
Get ready for side effects
Although side effects of Covid-19 vaccine are generally mild and will go off within a few days, it is better if you can prepare to cope with it. You can buy and keep up some food and over-the-counter pain medicines before the vaccination day in case you feel sick after taking the vaccine. Pain relievers like Ibuprofen and acetaminophen are the medicines that can help you relieve if you experience fever, pain, sore or headaches after taking your jab.
What NOT to do before the vaccination
Don’t drink alcohol before the vaccination
It is recommended to avoid drinking alcohol for 24 hours before and after the vaccination. According to Blanka Kaplan, MD, a specialist in adult and pediatric allergy and immunology, alcohol may accelerate allergic reaction in some circumstances. Since we are still lacking knowledge about the influence of alcohol on allergic reaction to Covid-19 vaccine, he advised to avoid alcohol before and after the vaccination.
Do not take pain relievers before vaccination for the purpose of preventing side effects
It is not recommended to take over-the-counter medicines such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or aspirin before your vaccine just for the purpose of preventing possible side effects. Because it is not known how these medicines might affect the vaccine to work well. However, if you are taking medicines for underlying medical conditions, you should continue your intake as normal.
A word from Doc2Us
If you have any questions related to Covid-19 vaccine, you can consult our professional doctors and healthcare professionals on Doc2Us. Doc2Us is a mobile application that allows you to talk to a doctor or any healthcare professionals via text chat at any time and from anywhere. For better communication, you can even send our online doctor images or voice messages related to your medical inquiry.
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